Lizzy Unleashed
by ThreeInOne
Summary: We all know Peter Parker, and his adventures as Spiderman. But what about his cousin? This is the story of Maia Parker, who must deal with villians, crimelords, and even her own inner demon to prove herself a hero.
1. Prologue

Maia Parker was beautiful. She had a roundish, flat face, unusually red cheeks, and a small, pointed dot of a nose. Her eyes were dark brown, almost black, and could look through you in a heart beat. Her hair was wavy, shoulder-high, and bright auburn. She was pretty much the toughest kid at school, and everyone knew that if you got her mad, she could whip you down in a heartbeat. The fact that she was the cousin of Peter Parker, the biggest nerd in school, made her an outcast to pretty much everyone, but that was her. She didn't care. What she did care about was helping people. And everything changed that day.


	2. Chapter 1

I stood outside Midtown Manhattan Magnet High School, just as the bell rang. I tapped my foot, and looked at my watch. Just like Peter to be late. I knew I couldn't wait for him any longer, so I grabbed my bag and rushed in. _Where is he? _

Spiderman webbed over the school, watching as his cousin rushed in. _Was she waiting for me? Aw! Talk about cousinly love._ His thoughts were interrupted by a loud _BOOM! _close by. "I'm gonna squash you, bug!" Shocker yelled, aiming a sonic blast at Spiderman. He missed by mere inches as the webslinger leaped from his position on the flagpole, and landed on the side of a close by building.

"What's the matter, Shocky?" he asked, firing a web in the villain's direction. "Feeling a bit off your game today?" Shocker rolled out of the way of Spidey's web, and fired another blast. This one hit the building, right in front of Spiderman, blowing him off. Spidey was knocked a good ways in the air before recovering and firing a web onto the building. He swung around, using his momentum to land on the roof of M-cubed. Shocker was nowhere to be seen. "Great. I am so getting detention,"

I met up with Pete at the end of the day, as I waited for him outside the school. "You were late," I remarked. "H-Huh? Oh, I got, uh, held up. The subway was slow," he answered quickly. _Peter never takes the subway_, I thought. _Something's up. _I thought about following him home, but I really didn't want to give off that weird "stalker" vibe. "Hey girl!" I jumped at the loud voice in my ear. My best friend, Jessie, stood behind me, laughing her head off. Her blonde hair was cut shorter than usual, and her green eyes sparkled. "Don't do that!" I snapped. "Okay, okay. Chill girl, I was just playing. So, what were you doing?" "Watching Peter," I replied. Jessie's face scrunched up. "Why do you bother with him? You're, like, one year older than him." "I know. He's my cousin, though, and I gotta watch his back. If I don't, who will?" "True. Hey, wanna join me and John at the Silver Spoon later?" "Nah, I promised Doc. Conners I'd help him at the lab later on. He's offered me a job, and I'd be crazy not to take it," Jessie laughed. "Yeah, crazy. Well, catch ya later." She ran off to catch a bus. _Man, I'd completely forgot about Doc. Conners until now! Peter can wait. I've got a job to get to._


	3. Chapter 2

"And this is a group of genetically altered lizards, a project I've been working on," I listened as Doc. Conners explained about these new creatures he was raising in his lab, trying not to dose off. Eddie Brock, a freshman in college and Peter and my friend, sat next to me, looking sleepy. It was only me, him, and the Doc in the lab today, since his wife and son were out of town. "So, what do you need us to do, Doc?" I asked, hoping to save us from more boring lectures. "I need you two to feed and water these lizards, and make sure all 15 are accounted for. I have- other matters to attend to," The Doc went into his office, and closed the door. "Remind me again, why are we the only ones working here?" I asked Eddie, who

was grabbing a bag of lizard feed from under the counter.

"Let's see…Your cousin's been fired for the whole Lizard incident, and Gwen just couldn't make it today. Now let's round up the lizards," I sighed. Eddie poured the food, while I counted the lizards. _12, 13, 14._ "Eddie, there's only 14 lizards in here," He looked panicked for a minute. "That's not good.

We'd better find that lizard, and fast," I started searching around the lab with Eddie, looking in every crack and crevice. I found the lizard behind a box, clinging to the wall. It was bright green, and its sides heaved as it breathed. "Nice lizard," I cooed, sticking a hand out to grab it. It tilted its head, as if it sensed what I was doing. Then, without warning, it lashed out and sank its teeth into my finger. "Ow!" I let out a cry of pain, and grasped it up.

"What happened?" Eddie asked me, taking the lizard and putting it in the cage. "N-Nothing. I just scratched my finger, that's all," _Now I know where Peter gets his lousy ability to lie from. _I went to get some water for the lizards, not sure if Eddie had done that already, when I felt it. A strange tingling in the back of my skull, like someone was tickling the inside of my head with a feather.

I felt a pain in my gut, a burning pain, like I'd been shot. I doubled over, my vision wavering for a minute. "Maia?" Eddie called, seeing that I was hurting. "Bath…room," I choked out, though it even hurt to talk. He pointed me to one, and I ran in there, puking into the toilet bowl. The pain ceased to lessen in my stomach, and was spreading rapidly. _Someone's there. I sense him. I hear him. But who? What's happening? _I collapsed on the floor of the bathroom, and blacked out.


	4. Chapter 3

Spiderman landed atop the Empire State building, scanning the area. So far, he'd seen no sign of Shocker. This was New York, for crying out loud. It's not like people disappeared. Around that time, his cell phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket ((I think he has pockets?)), and answered it.

"Hello?" "Peter, this is Eddie. Maia collapsed on the job, and is in critical at the hospital. Doc told me to call you so-" But Peter was no longer listening. He was firing a web, and swinging at full speed toward the hospital.

I woke up in a white-clad room, aching all over and feeling like I'd just been beat up by a psychopath with a two-by-four. My mother sat in a seat close to my bed, dozed off. Her long brown hair was a mess, and her blue eyes were shut tight.

"Mom," I whispered, my voice a hoarse croak. She didn't wake up, didn't answer. She was pretty much dead asleep. I sat up straight in the bed, and tried to get up. Pain instantly shot through me, and I laid back down. I saw a blur outside my window as I laid down, but it was quickly gone. After a couple minutes of laying there, a doctor came in, holding a clipboard. "Who are you? How did I get here?"

I demanded to the doctor. He had a flattened down haircut, was a bit chubby, and wore square frame glasses. "Oh good, you're awake. Your friend, I believe his name's Eddie Brock, called the hospital after you collapsed in the lab. I'm Doctor Octavius, if you must know. You can call me Otto,"

I thought I saw a flash of metal under Otto's lab coat, though it must've been my imagination. "You work here?" I asked him. "No. I work…elsewhere, for someone else. I've been ordered to take you to my boss. Please, forgive me." Before I could ask him what the heck he meant, four mechanical arms swung around, pinchers on the end of each. They latched around me, gripping me firmly and lifting me up.

"Oh, why did they send to do this? They know I'm not good with jobs like this. Why did Osborne insist-" "Osborne? What's he got to do with this?" I snapped. "Quiet you!" Otto snapped right back, and the arms shook me till my teeth rattled. He carried me out into the hallway, where all of the staff lay on the ground, possibly dead. "Don't worry," Otto said, sensing my unnervement. "They've merely been tranquilized, so that I can transport you out of here safely," Otto stepped over the staff, careful not to hurt them. "Say, Otto," I began. "You seem like a good man. Why would you want to kidnap me?" "Alas, I didn't want this. I would've preferred that someone else retrieve you, but they insisted that I do it, prove myself. I don't even know why-"

He never finished. While he was talking, I had twisted myself around enough so that I could kick him in the gut. He dropped me instantly, and I booked it. I ran through the hospital, swerving around and leaping over the staff. I burst out into a busy New York street, with Otto yelling, "Why you little punk!" after me. I kept running, for fear that him and those devil arms would follow me, right out into the middle of the street.

Cars blared around me, honking horns, but I was in a panic, unable to stop. Then, everything slowed down. There was a tingling in my head, the same one I'd felt before the pain, in the lab. I instinctively jumped up, leaping over a car that had been baring down on me. I landed atop another car, one that was moving, and leaped off it. Suddenly, I was jumping over traffic, landing atop cars and leaping off to land on another. I made it across the street, wondering _How did I do that? _

I heard a mechanical clank, and started running again, rushing into a dead-end alley. _No way out, no way out! He's gonna get me! He's gonna get me! Whoa, calm down, Maia. Think, think! _I looked at the wall, a flat surface with no handholds. _Well, beats being killed b_y_ a robot. _I ran at the wall, and jumped toward it. Expecting to be kaputz any minute, I opened my eyes and got the biggest shocker of my life. I was literally sticking to the wall, like Spiderman.

My hands were pressed flat against the wall, and were sticking. "Whoa," I breathed. I started crawling up, and reached the roof in a matter of minutes. I did a flip, and landed on the middle of the roof perfectly. Lucky I did, because where I'd been standing suddenly exploded into dust. "I knew that idiot Octavius couldn't handle you. I told the Big Man myself. Lucky he sent me out to wrastle you up,"

I was faced with the goofiest one individual I'd ever seen. It was a guy in yellow, with thin black stripes. He wore gloves with odd looking bumps on them. Despite the impending danger, I laughed. "Who are you supposed to be, Captain Doofus?" The guy clenched his teeth, and raised the gloves. "Ooh, I'm so scared," I mocked in a high-pitched voice. I felt the tingling again, and ducked quickly. Still, I was blown back by a barrage of sonic waves. My ears were ringing, and I had a few more cuts and bruises. Just then, the parade came through. Spiderman dropped in, landing in between me and ol' Doofus. "Hey Shocko. Been looking for ya," Spidey said casually, firing a thin web at the man, who I could only guess was the infamous "Shocker" I'd seen on TV.

"Why'd you have to get in on this, bug. Still, I can take you out while yer here. Killing two birds with one stone," Spiderman dodged another sonic blast, and I leapt to the side as it rushed toward me. "Hate to break it to ya, Shocky, but I'm not a bird," Spidey dodged another blast, and gave Shocker a hard punch to the jaw. Shocker stayed in the game though. He just rubbed his jaw, spat out some blood, and charged at Spiderman. While I watched the show, the tingling popped up again.

_Not again. _I darted forward, but still gritted my teeth as electricity coursed through me. "Hi girly," a man with electricity for a head stood behind me, his hands crackling with energy. "You must be the girl I was sent to get. I was told to take you in alive, but they never said I couldn't ding ya up a little," He aimed an electrical punch toward my face. I ducked, grabbed his wrist, and twisted it hard. "Yaah!" he cried out in pain, and I silently yelled in pain as more volts shot into me. I let him go, dropped down, and with a side sweep of my legs, knocked him on his butt.

I dodged an electric volt, and with a quick uppercut, knocked him out. "Hmm. Not so tough after all," I remarked, only to double over, clutching my stomach. The pain had returned, burning through me. I screamed as it surged through me, and grew colder, colder, cold as ice. My insides were splintered, shattering like glass. I dropped to my knees, and felt a tingling, though this one was in my skin.

My normally light colored skin, though tinged with red, suddenly grew thicker, and became a shade of light green. My bones cracked, shifted, and readjusted. My teeth, which had been dull before, grew out, sharpening into mini daggers. It all felt painful, so painful I couldn't move or talk or do anything. Then, it faded, and I felt something else, deep within me: hunger. This wasn't hunger like _Oh, I'm hungry. Better get something to eat. _This was a need, a driving hunger forcing me to kill and steal and plunder to fill myself. I lifted my head, my forked tongue flicking in and out.

I smelled him. The Spider. My prey. I turned, watching for him. He was there, fighting with another. It did not look like prey. It looked different, out of place. It didn't belong here. It was something of the Others, and must go. The Spider, however, was mine. I lunged forward, my jaws snapping, teeth ready to tear into the flesh of my prey.

I latched my teeth onto the leg of the Spider, who screamed in pain. _Good. Let him suffer, in his last few hours. _"What in the tarnation?" the Other backed away slowly, and I let him. He was of no concern to me. My only thought was of the Spider. "C-Curt? Is that you?" the Spider stammered. I could smell his fear, and taste it. It was so good, so good. Then, a zap. A prick on my skin, like an annoying wasp sting.

I let my prey go for a moment, a mere second, and turned. There is another, one that is glowing yellow. He is different. He is not like the Other, though. He is prey too. Just different. The prey threw an electric blast at me that stung my skin and burned me. It hurt. The prey does not hurt the predator.

He would be mine. I rushed at the prey, hearing him scream and turn to run. I tackled him, knocking him down, trying to bite him. But my teeth do not hurt him. He is like mist, impossible to hold down. I release him, and he runs. I let him, like the other. He is not of use to me, not now. I turn to the Spider, my only certain prey. But he is gone, his scent fading. I let out a growl. I would find him. He would be mine.

((This, if you couldn't tell, takes place in an Alternate Universe, after the episode where Shocker first appeared, and before Sandman is created. Shocker had escaped from jail days before this story started, and Electro escaped during the story. And I'm over explaining it. Just R & R))


	5. Chapter 4

Peter swung down into the Conners' lab, his suit torn by the Lizard's claws. He'd never expected this, not for Curt to become the Lizard again, so soon. "Martha!" he called as he dropped into the empty, deserted lab. "Spiderman?" Eddie Brock, an old friend of Peter's, came in, a broom in hand. "Where's Martha?" Spiderman demanded. "Will I do?" A familiar voice asked, and he turned to see…Doctor Conners. Doctor _Curtis_ Conners.

"B-But…how can you be here, when you're out there?" the Doctor looked puzzled for a minute. "I saw the Lizard out there. He tried to kill me," Doc. Conners turned pale. "SPIDER!" there came a bellow, and sure enough, the Lizard dropped in, licking his scaly lips. "But, how?" Curt repeated the same thing Spiderman had. "Spider. You ran. But you will not escape me. Never escape me!" The Lizard lunged at Spiderman, and he narrowly avoided the Lizard's sharp, raking claws. _What do I do now?_

_~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~._

I had found him once more. The Spider. My prey. He would be mine. I jumped atop him, and even he could not avoid being pinned down. "No!" One of the Others, a boy with blonde hair, screamed, rushing at me. I blew him away with one flick of my broad, powerful tail. Eddie? _Was that Eddie?_ A voice asked in my head. The word was so strange to me. But it did not matter. I had him. He was mine. _N-No! I won't kill Spiderman, I won't. You're not some monster, Maia. Remember who you are._ I hesitated. For one moment, I was unsure. The voice in my head, it was confusing. Who was I? Was I truly a monster? _My name? My-My name is Maia Parker. I'm 17, and I go to Midtown Manhattan Magnet High School. I'm not a monster. I'm not a monster! I'M NOT A MONSTER!_

Wh-What was going on? I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. Spiderman? Why was he here? And Doc. Conners? Wait, where was Eddie? I turned, and saw him. He was lying collapsed on the floor, so still I wasn't even sure if he was alive or not. I went over to him, and picked him up. He was breathing, thank goodness. But he had a really nasty bump on his head. How had that happened? I felt the tingling in my head, and turned as Spiderman charged me. He punched me, square on the jaw, and it hurt. But why hurt me? I wasn't a threat.

He continued hitting me, repeatedly, and it hurt. He sprayed webbing on me, and it was sticky, and I couldn't move when it was on me. I didn't dare hurt him back. After all, he was the good guy. Doc. Conners had rushed over to Eddie, and was checking his pulse. I turned to help him, only to have a chair smashed over my head. Then, I felt it again. The pain in my stomach, even worse than last time. It flared up me, and I dropped to the floor. My insides hurt. They were burning, burning hot, scalding to ash inside of me. I screamed, and grabbed at the Doctor, who gazed at me fearfully. I thought I heard Spiderman scream, "No!" but I didn't give it any thought. "Help me, Doc," I pleaded. "Help me."


	6. Chapter 5

Spiderman stood over the big, ugly green lizard laying on the table, and wondered, for the fiftieth time, why Doc. Conners was helping it. "Are you sure, Doc?" he asked. "I mean, this thing tried to kill me. Why save it?" Doctor Conners pulled on a glove. "Because it asked for my help. I don't think it's a monster entirely. There's something down in it that's still human, trying to escape," Spiderman knew the Doctor spoke from his own experience as the Lizard. Then, before he could do anything, the thing shot bolt upright on the table. "Mom!"

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I shook my head. Man, that had been some trippy dream. I then noticed my surroundings, and realized it wasn't a dream. Doc. Conners was looking at me with concern in his eyes. Spiderman looked itching for a fight. I rubbed my head a little bit. "What happened?" I asked. "So, it speaks. Here's what happened: You attacked me on top of a building, nearly killed me, then tracked me down here where you nearly killed me again. Ring a bell?" Spiderman commented dryly, a sarcastic tone in his voice.

"I didn't do that. Or, at least I don't remember it," I turned to the Doc. "I didn't do that, did I?" "I'm afraid you did, uh, I'm afraid I don't have your name," _That's weird. _"You know me. I'm-" I held up a hand, about to remind him who I was, when I saw my skin. It was hard, covered with scales, and light green. I remembered the lizard, the knowing look in its eyes. Well, it had kind of looked like that.

"No-No. It-It can't be." I jumped up, and before Spiderman could K.O. me, rushed to the restroom. Sure enough, I had scaly green skin, yellow slit eyes, and sharp, pointy teeth. I looked exactly like Curt had when he was the Lizard. "No, no, no, no, no! No!" In frustration, I tore the sink out of the wall and threw it a few couple feet, where it came to a screeching halt at Curt's feet. "Thanks. Now we have to get a new one," I knew I was probably crying, but I didn't care. Thanks to that stupid little lizard, I could never show my face again in public. "Whazza-Whazz goin' on?" Eddie got to his feet, stumbling a little. The minute he saw me, he looked upset and downright scared.

"Why's that thing still here? Shouldn't somebody lock it up?" I walked up to him, ignoring Spiderman's protests. "Last time, you were real fun. Hmm, is it the scales?" I looked at them. "Wow, I defiantly need some moisturizer," Then, without him expecting it, I scooped him up in a hug. "Welcome back, ya big lug," I whispered in his ear. "What the-" he struggled against me. "Oh come on. Stop ya whining, and take it like a man," Then, in his ear so the others couldn't hear it, I whispered, "Ya know, I really am a terrible liar. Scratches don't make you faint."

His eyes grew wide, and when I put him down, he stared at me. "Oh my-" He stopped mid-sentence. "Doc. You might want to get rid of those lizards," Doctor Conners looked confused for a moment, then held his breath. "Oh. This is- how- and?" Before Curt or Eddie or even me could tell Spiderman anything (he kept asking annoyingly), something small and ticking flew into the lab.

It was orange, shaped like a pumpkin, and counting down. I immediately realized what it was, just as Spiderman webbed Curt and Eddie out of the way. Then, the bomb exploded, spreading a dark green gas. We all collapsed, coughing. I felt a burning sensation in my head. I-I wouldn't be defeated. The Spider would be mine. And then I blacked out.


	7. Chapter 6

Otto Octavius stared at the monster behind the glass, which so resembled the Lizard, and sighed. He couldn't honestly believe that this was the girl that had so rudely escaped him. "How did we retrieve her again?" he asked Norman Osborne, who stood beside him in the shadows. "An informant delivered her on our door, free of charge," Osborne replied in a husky voice.

Something about the way Osborne said that made Otto believe that this was more than just a house call. "Where am I? Who are you?" the girl had awoken, and struggled against the restraints, growling all the while. Otto turned on the mic, and said, "Don't worry, dear. This won't hurt at all." "Otto?" she asked in confusion. "I thought you were a 'good man.' What would make you work for a creep like Osborne?"

Osborne flashed the Doctor a dangerous look from behind shades, meaning 'Tell her nothing.' "Quiet!" Otto said forcefully, and pulled a few levers on the dial. Two antennae like objects dropped from the ceiling around the girl, and crackled with energy. At the push of a button, they shot bright, white waves of energy at the girl. She writhed against the straps holding her in place, and screamed as waves of pain racked her body. The energy cut off, and she slumped low, breathing heavily.

A growl rose in her throat, and she raised her head to lock eyes with Octavius. Otto shivered under her watch. Then, she snapped the bands around her wrists easy, and dropped from the table. She eased her way forward, her eyes never moving from the two-way glass. Her nostrils dilated, as if she was scenting. Her tongue flicked out, and circled her jaws.

"The Spider has been here," she snarled. "Where is he? Where is the Spider?" Osborne pressed the mic, and spoke confidently into it. "I know this 'Spider' you speak of. He is a threat to me, and my entire organization." The girl laughed, a hoarse, throaty rasp. "The Spider cannot harm me. He is my prey. He is mine alone," "Help us find him, and he's all yours," Osborne butted in, smiling.

Things were going his way. "Very well. I agree to your terms. But if you double-cross me, try to capture or enslave me, I may consider hunting you as well," Then, she busted the door down, and crawled out. "What have we done?" Octavius muttered.


	8. Chapter 7

**((Disclaimer(shoulda put this on the last chapters): I do not own The Spectacular Spiderman Tv series, or Spiderman in general. I do own Maia, however, and if you take her, I will send the Lizard after you. Better not be wearing red and blue...))**

Spiderman woke up with a massive headache. He was lying on the floor of Doc. Conners lab, the doctor and Eddie sprawled out unconscious near him. He remembered the bomb, a flash of metal, and blacking out. "Oh," the Doctor groaned beside him. "Rise and shine, Doc," Spidey said, helping the doctor to his feet. "What happened? Where's Maia?" he asked, sudden fear in his voice. _That was Maia? That thing? Impossible! Unless…_ "I think they took her," he replied. "You stay here with Eddie. I'll go take a look around," Conners nodded, and ran over to Eddie, still unconscious. Spiderman shot a web, and swung out.

~.~.~.~.~.

I perched atop the building, my tongue flicking in and out rapidly. Well, well. The Spider was coming straight to me. Perfect. He would taste good. I waited, crouching, for him to come closer. A little bit closer, and he would be mine. _No! Maia, snap out of it! The Lizard's taken control again. You can't let it control you. Fight it, Maia! Fight!_ I ignored the voice in my head, some sort of illusion. He was within striking distance now, close enough for me to sink my claws in. _No! _I dropped down, panting. What was going on? I knew one thing: I wasn't killing Spiderman. Not for Osborne, not for myself, not for anyone. In fact, Osborne was about to be taught a lesson.

~.~.~.~.~.

I stared through a cracked, dirty window at Osborne, just standing in that warehouse, almost like he was waiting. Good news is, he was alone. That would make him easier to take down and…do what with? Take him to the police? I didn't have enough evidence. Plus, they'd probably lock me up just for looking the way I do. Just then, someone else came in. He was a short man, or at least shorter than Osborne, with shiny black hair and a gangster feel.

"Well? Is Spiderman kaputz? The Big Man needs to know," the shorter man demanded. "Relax Hammerhead. I have my newest agent on it," Osborne replied coolly, like he was so sure of everything. "You better, Osborne. The Big Man expects the webslinger dead. And you're gonna do it," I stopped listening, and crawled up to the ceiling, my sticky scales and sharp claws hoisting me up. I dropped in through the skylight, landing in front of Osborne in a crouch.

"Well? Is he dead?" "No, but you're gonna be!" I charged Osborne. A stupid plan, really, but I was running on instincts. I was a pretty good fighter, but I had no clue in this new body. I grabbed Osborne, lifting him up. "You're gonna get it," I was prepared to claw his eyes out, when Hammerhead, who obviously didn't care either way, decided to intervene. He head butted me in the back, and I bit my tongue hard to hold back a scream.

What was this guy's head made of, steel? I dropped Osborne, and spun around, ready to take him. I felt the Lizard pressing against me, threatening to come loose and possibly kill everyone in the building, but I held him back with all my energy. I was unprepared for a charge by Hammerhead, and was blown forward. Osborne would have his another day. I scurried up the wall, paused to hiss at them, and leapt away. Only after I left did I notice my hand, the skin soft and white.

**((If you haven't guessed already, this is an AU. Sorry about later action scenes, as I'm not very good at describing action scenes.))**


	9. Chapter 8

I flipped into my bedroom at my house, the sun starting to set. It seemed so long since I'd been here, though it was probably only a couple days. I almost immediately ran to the restroom, and looked in the mirror. I was wearing a hospital robe, slightly tattered. I was my regular size, with my usual colored skin. I looked myself, except for a few changes. My eyes were now yellow-green, and slit.

I had patches of scales all over my body, but I could cover that. I had a tail, sleek and slim, and sharp fangs. Upon examining my fingernails, I realized they were longer and sharper than they used to be. By focusing, I could make them turn into super sharp, strong as steel, long black claws. I found that, even without claws, I could still climb walls. I wasn't completely lizzified but I still had some traits.

"Lizzified," I murmured. A word I had made up out of the blue. But it described me. "Lizzy," I muttered. Oh yeah. That would do. _Ding, dong! _The doorbell rang loudly. I quickly threw on a purple, faded sweatshirt, blue jeans, and my sneakers, and ran down to the door. I opened it slightly. "Mom, I-" It was Peter. And he looked confused to see me. "Maia? I heard from your mom that you were in the hospital. What happened?" "Oh, nothing," I lied. "The doctors gave me a clean bill of health, and let me go home," "Is your mom home?" he asked, shuffling in as if he expected me to bite his head off.

Which if I was the Lizard, I probably would've. "No. I thought she was, though," Just then, the phone rang. I searched around for it, and managed to answer it before it cut to voicemail. "Yes?" "Maia Parker, I'm afraid we have some disturbing news. You're mom is here at the hospital, and-"

"Is she okay?" I interrupted. "She's dead. We believe that a criminal may have killed, but we don't know yet," I let the phone drop. I knew exactly which man had killed her. And he would pay. "Maia?" "Stay here, Peter!" I snapped, jogging up to my room.

I dug through my closet until I found it. A sleek, skintight, Spandex Halloween costume we'd gotten when I was 10. Mom had over judged the size, and it turned out to be way too big. But it would fit me now. I slipped it on, and examined myself. The suit was green, with a scale pattern on it. I let my tail out, and popped my claws. The suit, of course, had come with gloves, but I cut off the finger portions so I could use my claws. I focused on my hair, and came up with an idea.

Seconds later, it had shaded itself black, with red tips. I threw on a small eye mask, green rimmed. **((Imagine Robin's mask, only green-rimmed.))** Perfect. I crouched on the windowsill, and dropped off. I grabbed the rim of a fire escape mid fall, and did a flying somersault. I landed on the side of a nearby building, scuttled up, and flipped onto the roof. I smiled slightly. This was gonna be fun.

~.~.~.~.~.

Otto was working late, working on upgrading the mechanical arms with which he performed his experiments. There came a _thump! _from the ceiling, and Otto, a naturally nervous man, jumped. There came no other noises, and he relaxed. _Probably nothing. _Then, there came another thump, and a girl dropped in front of him. It was a black-haired teenager, with a murderous look in her eyes.

"You," she growled softly, advancing as Otto backed away. "M-Me?" "Yeah you, bozo. Marie Parker. Name ring a bell?" "I don't know what you're talking about!" Otto protested. The girl lunged at him, pinning him against a wall. "You killed Marie Parker in cold blood!" she snarled, her eyes flickering. "I-I didn't kill anyone. I swear," She suddenly let him go, and he landed on his feet.

"You'll get yours someday, Octavius. Just not today," And with that, she ran off, leaping onto the wall and crawling up as swiftly as Spiderman.


	10. Chapter 9

I woke up the next morning, which was a Saturday, on my bed, my eyes puffy and red. Octavius had killed my mother, and I'd let him go. Why? I knew why. I had been a few seconds from going Lizard on him, and possibly being thrown in the slammer for the rest of my life. I was just about to drift off again when I smelled something unusual. I flicked my forked tongue out. Pancakes! I jumped out of the bed, and changed into a T-shirt and jeans. Popping downstairs in my costume would raise some awkward questions.

I took the stairs 2 at a time, like I'd been doing so often lately, and went into the kitchen. On the table was a heaping plate of pancakes, so good I was about to inhale them. And across from them sat my dad, dressed in his Marine Corps uniform. "Hey kiddo," he flashed me a bright, white grin.

"Dad!" I ran to him, wrapping my arms around him in a great big hug.

"Hey, don't squash me!" I stepped back. "Man, you've grown tall. I can hardly keep up," I was almost as big as him, but part of that might be lizard. Something nagged at me.

"Why are you here?" His dark brown eyes, like mine, darkened.

"One of the guys gave me the news. They let me on leave for the funeral," I knew he must be torn up inside, like me.

"I could've protected her," I muttered. "I was there,"

"Kiddo, don't blame yourself. It's not your fault. There wasn't anything you could've done." _Wanna bet? If I would've stayed, I could have helped her. I could have stopped Octavius. I could've…_ "The funeral's tomorrow. I'll be in town a few more days, then I'll have to go back,"

"Who'll I stay with?" I asked.

"Your Aunt May's agreed to let you stay with her and Peter. Trust me, kiddo, everything'll be fine. Now eat. I'm sure you're hungry," He had no idea. After a whole day(or 2 days? Not sure) of wanting to eat Spiderman, pancakes were a relief. I began scarfing down my breakfast at an alarming speed, hoping I didn't choke. Wonderful

~.~.~.~.~.

Peter came over after breakfast, while me and Dad were watching Tv. "Good to see you again, Pete. It's been a long time," My dad held out a hand for him to shake.

"Yes it has, Uncle Jon. You're on leave?" Peter asked.

"For the funeral," That immediately sobered Peter up.

"Can I talk to Maia? Alone?"

"Sure. I'll be in another room," Dad left, and I was faced with my cousin. I focused on the TV, trying to ignore him.

"What happened?" Pete asked me.

"What do you mean?"

"Last night, when you ran upstairs. What happened?" I turned from his stares.

"Nothing." He sat down next to me. For a younger cousin, he sure seemed wise.

"Look, Maia, I know how you feel," I was about to tell him that he didn't, but he was still talking. "When I lost Uncle Ben, I felt hurt inside. I was angry and upset. I wondered if it was my fault, if I could've stopped the man who shot him. If I could've saved him." Was Peter reading my mind? He seemed to reflect everything I was thinking.

"I'm okay. It's just-" Should I tell Pete? I could trust him, couldn't I?

"What?" he asked, sounding concerned. Luckily, the TV saved me.

"Breaking news! There appears to be some sort of incident down at the docks. We're getting some electrical interference down here, though nothing-" The news report went to static.

"I've got to go," Peter rushed out the door without even saying 'Bye.'

"What was all that about?" my dad asked, coming back in.

"I'll be in my room," I told him, shuffling quickly up the stairs. I threw on my costume again, my hair shading itself black. I was unsure how it could be black one minute, red the next, but I tried not to give it too much thought. "Might as well give up, criminals," I muttered to myself, crouching on the windowsill. "Lizzy's in town."


	11. Chapter 10

It would be stupid for anyone to rob a dock in the middle of the day. But, as I watched these guys from the building I was stuck to, I realized that these guys were anything but bright.

One was a huge, beefy red guy with thinning blonde hair and beady eyes. The other was a really thin guy, with shoulder high brown hair and eyes like an owl's. These guys were definitely different in looks, but not so good on brains. They were loading a bunch of crates into a truck, and as I watched, the beefy guy dropped one.

"Careful!" the other guy warned. "These things are fragile,"

The beefy guy stared at him like _Huh?_

"Just don't drop 'em, meathead,"

"Oh. Right," Meathead picked up the box again, and put it delicately in the truck. Time for me to get involved. I pulled a thin, steel wire out of my costume, as delicate as Spiderman's webbing and twice at strong. At the end was a three prong grappling hook, only slimmer than most.

"Here goes nothing," I swung it over my head, and then threw it, gripping the end tightly. It wrapped around Meathead's wrist, and with a good enough pull, I sent him sprawling to the ground, the box he was carrying dropped.

"What the-" the other guy muttered. I hooked the wire onto a lamppost, and swung down, giving the other guy a good kick to knock him down.

"Didn't your mother ever tell you it's not nice to steal?" I taunted.

"Who the heck are you?" Meathead wondered, getting to his feet.

"Here's a hint," I whipped around him, giving a quick karate chop to the back of the guy's neck, avoiding the other guy's punch. "What's scaly, small, and sticks to walls?"

"A snake?"

"Wow Meathead, accurate nickname. You just might be the dumbest criminal I've ever met. Course you two are the first, but-" the skinny criminal was fumbling with a gun he'd pulled out of his jacket. With a quick flick of the wire, I sent it flying.

"Time to wrap this up," I grabbed Skinny Guy by his collar, pulled Meathead up, and tossed them both in the air. I pulled out my spare wire, and tied them up, tying the wire to the lamppost.

"Hey! Get us down from here!" Skinny Guy protested.

"Sorry guys. I wouldn't be a very good hero if I let you go, now would I?" At that point, I was really wishing I had webs. I had to jump from building to building to get home.

Hmm. Now I was thinking.


	12. Chapter 11

I had to go back to school on Monday, which ultimately led to questions I couldn't answer. Sunday had flown by. I found that it was actually cool being a superhero, stopping crime and what not. The funeral was to be on Tuesday, giving the crime scene investigators time to search for clues about her killer. It sucked bad. Really bad. Back to Monday. I walked into the front lawn, or I guess what you could call a lawn, of M3, and was immediately met by Jessie, who looked concerned.

"I heard about your mom, and I'm sorry. I know how I would feel if I lost my mom," I smiled weakly. Just like Jess, trying to cheer me up.

"Hey look. It's the little baby," I groaned. I had been lucky the last day I'd been in school not to run into Jamie. Resident cheerleader, total airhead, and a girl who loved to harass me constantly. Her long black hair was put up in a bun, and her green eyes practically sparkled with cruelty. "What's the matter, honey? Sad about losing Mommy?" She made sniffling noises.

That was it. It was bad enough Jamie mocked me daily, but my dead mother? Did she not have a line? I walked up to her, and thrust my face in hers.

"Listen, you stupid, stuck-up, airhead reject from a clown school," I started. "You can mock me all you want. Heck, even give me a smack or two, if it cools you down. But no one, _no one_," I dragged out the words. "Makes fun of my family, especially my mother. So why don't you and your look alike posse run on back to the gym, and stay out of my way?"

Silence. Jamie gave me the evil eye, along with a shocked look. She looked like she might explode, and I was about to walk away when she slugged me. Her fist connected with my jaw hard. I glared at her, rubbed my jaw, and spat out blood. For some petite, harmless looking girl, she packed a punch. There was a tingling in my head, which I just called the Sense.

I backed up sharply as she brought another punch toward me. Suddenly, she was a shrieking mess, trying to nail me and me dodging every move. A crowd gathered around us, watching the fight with eager eyes. I didn't really want to hurt her. After all, I mostly ignored her, and didn't really care to hurt anybody less they hurt me.

But I'd struck a nerve with her. And she didn't like it. I caught a punch she'd aimed at my face, gave a sharp twist of her wrist, and pushed her backwards. She landed on her butt, red as a tomato and bleary-eyed.

I was about to scram when a loud voice said, "Ah-hem?"

The principal. Just peachy.


	13. Chapter 12

**((This chapter is a bit short, just to show what she's doing the night before the funeral.))**

I crouched atop our apartment building, staring down at the glimmering of headlights. I was seriously ticked off at that point, and I definantly needed to cool down. I took a flying leap across, rolling onto the other building. I pulled out a bracelet from my pocket, and slipped it on. It was bulky, with thin openings all around it. Something I'd been working on, since I'd watched Spidey in action.

By clicking a button on the side, it fired a thin wire that would allow me to swing through the air. I examined them. "Nah," I muttered, pulling them off. "Not my style." I took a running leap, and flew into the air. For one, single moment, I felt as free as a bird. That was, until I felt gravity take hold, and I dropped like a stone. _I'm an idiot! _I screamed in my head. _I can't fly! _I grabbed a flagpole as I fell, flipped around, and stuck to the building.

_Great, just great. First I get detention, then my brain shuts down and I think, 'Hey, let's go jump off a building, see if I can fly!' Real bright, Lizzy. Real bright. _I crawled up the building, heading to the roof. _I'll stick to leaping across buildings, pretty easy. Wait, why am I talking to myself again? _"I'm going crazy," I muttered. "What makes me possibly think I can be a superhero? I stop some petty thieves, and all of a sudden, I think I'm Spiderman! I'm just stupid!" _Stupid_, I repeated in my head, around the time the sirens blared. I didn't move. "Why should I help?" I whispered. "I'm no hero. I'm just some stupid kid playing dress up." And yet, I started moving toward the sirens, toward the emergency. I sighed. "Let's get this over with."


	14. Chapter 13

**((Here is the funeral chapter. Please, no flames.))**

The funeral sucked. I've never liked funerals; they always make me feel teary, and hurt, and helpless. I hate feeling like that. But this one…they couldn't have hurt me more if they'd have shot me. They played some teary, sappy music that would've made me barf under other circumstances. My dad gave the eulogy, and teared up in the midst of it.

It took all my willpower not to cry during it. When they buried her, the sky was gloomy and dark. Everyone started to leave after the funeral, though I stayed behind. I crouched beside the tombstone, and sighed. "I-I'm sorry, Mom. I could've done something that day, but I didn't. And now you're here," I glanced around at the other dreary stones.

"So, I know I have to continue to be Lizzy, even though it might suck. I can't let anyone else die the way you did. Please understand." My dad came up to me about that time, grief flickering in his eyes.

"Let's go," we walked silently back to the car.

~.~.~.~.~.

Dad had to leave the next day, so I started packing my things. The house would probably be rented out, since I couldn't stay in it alone. I sat on the couch for a bit, watching a news report. It was about Spiderman fighting some new supervillian, the Sandman.

_Great. Now I've got a new problem as a superhero. _My dad came in after a little bit, fully dressed in his uniform.

"I'll drive you over to May's," he told me. I hugged him tightly, and we walked out to the car. Since we lived only a block from Aunt May's, we got there quickly. I got out of the car, and glanced back at the car. Dad gave me a thumbs-up, and a pained smile. I smiled back at him weakly, and he drove off. I took a deep breath, and walked up to the door.

"Maia!" Aunt May opened the door, looking happy. "I'm so glad you're here. I'm so sorry," she hugged me, and I felt a twinge of remorse again.

"Where's Peter?" I asked.

"He should be upstairs dear. I'll show you to your room," She took me up to an empty room. There was at least 2 dressers, and a bed in the corner. "It may not feel like home, but it'll be a pretty good substitute." She smiled at me, and left the room. I unpacked, shoving my clothes in the drawer. At the bottom of my bag was my costume, slightly torn but otherwise intact.

I put it at the bottom of the drawer, far below all the others. _Nobody's gonna find out my identity. _After I got settled, I went into the hallway, and into Peter's room, across from mine. It was empty, the light off. I turned it on. "Peter?" I called. "You here?" If he was, he didn't reply. I swiped my tongue around my jaws, and caught a fading scent. It was familiar, though I couldn't place my finger on it. I decided that he wouldn't like me invading his privacy, so I went out, back to my room.


	15. Chapter 14

Peter stuck his head through the window, the mask covering his expression. _What was she doing in my room? _He'd had his suspicions of Maia ever since the second 'Lizard' event. He climbed into the room, and dropped to the floor. _Better change, before someone tries to snoop again._

_~.~.~.~.~._

I couldn't sleep that night. It was storming, and the room was so unfamiliar. I-I kept thinking of Mom, too. I missed her bad. After several minutes of being unable to sleep, I got out of bed, and paced the room, like I did when I was nervous. _It can't hurt to take a short run around the city. _I threw on my costume, dyed my hair, and pulled out my new creation.

It was a sleek, silver belt, with a small, box-like attachment on the front. I put it on beneath my costume, and leaped out onto the roof. I sat on the ceiling, rain pouring onto me. "Maybe this was a bad idea," I had been so used to leaping out of an apartment building, and this wasn't exactly an apartment building. I stood up, started running, and took a flying leap off the roof. I flipped a switch on the belt, and suddenly froze there, hovering above the house.

_Up_, I thought, and I shot skyward. _Well, my anti-gravity generator works. Though it shouldn't by theory. It also kind of ruins the whole 'lizard' theme because lizards don't fly but-_ I stopped arguing with myself in my head, which was weird, and started flying forward. The wind whipped around me. It was amazing. _Now I know how Spidey feels. _I ran across the side of buildings, and spiraled around in the air. I landed on the ledge of a skyscraper in a crouch, and stared out at the city. Thunder rumbled above, though the rain had loosened its torrent a bit.

The lights of the city shone brightly, and I couldn't help but feel awed. I'd lived in the city for 17 years, yet I'd never seen it like this.

"New here?" I jumped at a voice beside me. A red and blue clad figure was crouched beside me, a humorous expression behind that mask.

"Uh, yeah, I guess. I'm Lizzy. And you're Spiderman,"

"Resident superhero, and protector of the city. Yup, that's me." He said it with such an arrogant tone that I was beginning to get the feeling that this Spiderman guy was a cocky fellow.

"Well, I'm a bit new around here, but I might be your competition." I could see a smile through his mask.

"Oh yeah?" he asked playfully. He flipped off the ledge, freefell for a few feet, and fired a web, shooting into the air. I smiled. No way some bug was gonna beat me. I jumped off the building, and shot forward to fly beside Spiderman. He looked stunned, like he'd never expected me to fly.

"Catch ya later," I flew forward, faster, faster, faster, faster than I'd ever gone before. Then, there was a short buzzing sound, a sudden snap, and I was falling. I was dropping down at terminal velocity from several hundred feet. I screamed as I rocketed downward, and then arms were around me. Spiderman had caught me mid-air. He webbed us over to an alley, and set me down gently.

"Quite an exit," he teased.

"Th-Thanks," I stuttered.

"No problem," He was gone. I felt myself blushing under my mask. _There is _**no**_ way I could be crushing on him. He has to be at least 5 years older than me or something. _I scaled the wall, preparing to jump home. Only later did I realize that Spiderman's scent was the same as the one in Peter's room.

**((Seems we've got a pairing. Will it last? Stay tuned to find out.))**


	16. Chapter 15

**((Disclaimer:Yada, yada, yada, I don't own Spiderman. Yada, yada, yada, I do own Maia.))**

Okay, so it could be logical. I mean, Peter was a photographer. He took pictures of Spiderman. It was perfectly logical that he might have been meeting Spiderman. But why wouldn't he have told me, or Aunt May? What was he hiding? I didn't worry too much about it. There was school the next day, Wednesday.

I'd only gotten out Tuesday for the funeral. And it seemed like the school day would never end. I couldn't concentrate; every noise was amplified by my new hearing, and I fought the urge to flick my tongue out. I'd been wearing colored contacts to hide my new colored eyes, and they felt really uncomfortable.

I was extremely happy when the school day ended.

"Whoa girl. You definantly need some moisturizer," Jessie commented. A patch of my scales were showing, and I rolled my sleeves down to hide it.

"That's, uh, nothing," I mumbled.

"Whatever you say. You know, John is missing you."

"What?"

"You've been ignoring him since the funeral. He is your boyfriend, ya know."

"Oh," I'd not been thinking about John, really, between the superhero antics and family trouble. _What kind of girlfriend am I if I blow off my boyfriend? I wonder if it would be the same if Spiderman-No. Stop thinking about him. He's just a fellow hero. _

"Uh, girl?" Jessie asked, waving her hand in front of my face.

"Oh, sorry. I'm just a bit spacey. I guess I should stop by, and see him." Jessie nodded, giving me a _Like duh! _look.

~.~.~.~.~.

"Come on, John. Open the door," I called in, banging my fist on his door. The door opened.

"What?" John demanded. His dark brown hair was stuck up in a bedhead look, and his hazel eyes flashed.

"Sorry for not coming to see you. Listen, I-"

"No need," he held up his hands. "I know you've been having troubles, between the hospital incident and your mom. I have something to say,"

"What?"

"I-I think we should break up," I stood there, dumbfounded.

"What? Why?" I asked. He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"It's just over, alright." He closed the door, and I stood on his doorstep, tears soaking my face.

**((NOOOO!))**


	17. Chapter 16

"Maia, come out of there," Jessie called in, banging on my door. I laid on my bed, tissues scattered on the blanket and my pillow soaked.

"No," I called hoarsely, sniffling. The door burst open, and Jessie came up.

"Sit up," she ordered.

"How did you-"

"I took karate lessons when I was 10," She explained. "Now sit up." I sat up, laying my head on her shoulder.

"I-I loved him," I choked out. "So why?"

"I didn't want to tell you this, but-While you were in the hospital, one of the cheerleaders spotted him kissing another girl in the gym."

"What?" I whispered.

"I was afraid you'd be hurt. I'm sorry," I just nodded. He had been cheating on me? While I was in the hospital, no less? I started to tear up again, and Jessie handed me a tissue. "You still have homework," she reminded me. "I'll help you with it." She pulled out the textbook, and we started.

~.~.~.~.~.

I was too cruddy to go on patrol that night, though I knew that wasn't the best trait a superhero should have. I laid in bed, forming my fingernails into claws and back again. After a few minutes of that, I drifted off.

~.~.~.~.~.

I snuck along the darkened streets, flicking my tongue in and out. He was there. I could smell him. And then I saw him. His brown hair was slicked back with hair gel, and he was arm-in-arm with a girl, her long black hair falling down over her eyes. "This was wonderful, Jamie," the boy said, smiling widely.

"I'd have hoped so, John. After a whole month with that piece of pond scum-"

"She wasn't that bad," John argued. I narrowed my eyes, and my tongue flicked out.

"Come on," Jamie tugged at his arm. "Let's take a shortcut down the alley, just for fun."

"Well, alright," the two started down the alley toward me. I climbed up onto a shadowy part of the wall, and waited. They were right under me. I dropped down, landing behind them.

"What the-" Jamie screamed. I growled, and grabbed John up by his collar. His fear was overpowering, and I relished it. "John!" Jamie screamed. I brought John closer. His eyes were wider than they'd ever been before, close to bursting out of his head.

"You have hurt me," I hissed. "That will never happen again."

**((Ooh! Cliffhanger!))**


	18. Chapter 17

**((Warning:Blood. If you do not like blood, then do not read this.))**

_What happened? _was my first thought when I woke up. I was lying slumped against an alley wall. It had to be at least midnight. I stood up slowly, nearly slipping in a pool of blood. _What the-_There was a trail of dark liquid leading around the corner. I followed it slowly, and nearly screamed in horror.

A body laid on the ground, the stomach torn open and entrails scattered. I got sick. I now knew what all the liquid was. I stepped closer slowly, to find out who it was. It was a boy, his hair slick with blood. He had nothing but empty sockets, his eyes torn out. Skull was visible beneath blood, skin having been ripped off.

Still, I recognized the tan, the dark brown hair he would flick out of his eyes when he was bored or nervous or just trying to impress you. "Oh my-" I stepped back, nearly slipping in a puddle of blood. It was John.

"Stay back!" Someone screamed from a nearby cardboard box, and Jamie crawled out. Her hair was a disheveled mess, and her eyes were bulged out. "Parker?" her surprise at seeing me was quickly replaced with fear and horror.

"What happened?" I asked.

"We-We were walking out from a movie, and decided to take a shortcut through this alley. Th-Then," Jaime collapsed, sobbing.

"What happened?" I demanded. Who had done this?

"A-A monster dropped down from above," she choked out through her tears. "It looked like some kind of giant lizard." My heart skipped a beat. No. I couldn't have. It had to have been Curt. There was no-There was no- Jaime was still crying, and I felt like joining her. I was a murderer. I helped her up.

"L-Let's get you home." And we slowly walked out, lead in my chest.


	19. Chapter 18

**((Romantic moment guranteed! Plus, more action. I will once again apologize if the action sucks. Like I said, I'm not good at action scenes.))**

I didn't talk to Jaime or Jessie the next day. I couldn't stand the guilt in me. Apparently, police had found John's body in the alley, and Jaime had given her story. I had no comment. School seemed to fly by, and I returned home. I ignored Aunt May and Peter, all through dinner, and did my homework alone. I couldn't sleep that night either, so I decided to go on a flight. The city no longer looked pretty to me, and I no longer liked the feel of the wind in my hair. I landed on a ledge, and stared out over the city. Frustrated, I screamed out at the dim stars above.

"Having a problem?" Spiderman perched beside me, acting more serious than last time.

"It's nothing, really," I mumbled.

"Oh come on. I won't tell anyone,"

"What if…What if you did something, something really terrible, and didn't know it? What would you do?" Spiderman looked out over the city.

"I know what you're going through," he said softly. "You just have to keep going, look to friends and family for help. You're never alone, ya know." The way he said it, it sounded like he really was going through what I was going through.

"Thanks," I told him. "Oh, and one last thing." I hugged him, pulled back his mask, and kissed him.

~.~.~.~.~.

I am an idiot. I mean, I kissed a guy who I barely knew, and had only met one time. I guess I had just been looking for comfort, and found it in him. Gosh, I'm such an idiot.

"Sorry Jessie," I told her as she came into school Friday. "I shouldn't have blown you off yesterday."

"It's okay, girl," she replied, putting her hand on my shoulder. "I understand,"

"H-Hey," Jaime had come up, and was looking different. I expected her to taunt or sneer, but she just smiled. "S-Sorry about John," she mumbled. Wait a minute. Jaime Kendricks was _sorry _about something? Wow. John's death must've shook her even worse than me.

"It's okay," I told her.

"You two were good together." Jaime smiled a bit more, and walked away.

"Wow. Looks like she's even more hurt than you are," Jessica commented. _I doubt it. _Lucky we didn't have a test that day, or I would've failed, I was so distracted. Though, when I got out, there was a bit of excitement. I started out the door, backpack in tow, when a familiar red and blue figure was thrown past me, into the nearby building.

"I'm gonna squash you, bug," Spidey looked squashed enough as it was. I ran into a nearby alley, best I could do, and pulled out my costume. I felt awkward dressing there, but I was soon suited up, and rushing out. A huge gray man was holding Spiderman up by his head, smiling. I flew into him, which was like flying into a brick wall. He didn't seem to be fazed, but he looked at me out of the corner of his eye. I managed to get his attention by punching him hard on the face. "Stay out of this, girlie," he growled. "I don't want to hurt ya."

"That's because you can't, stupid. Spiderman's down; why not fight somebody who has a chance?" He seemed to consider this, then dropped Spiderman and rushed me. _Aw crap. _I narrowly dodged him, raking my claws along his cheek. He cried out in pain, and knocked me aside. His face was bleeding, and he looked ticked. Around that time, webs wrapped around the guy's head, and pulled him back.

"Whoa Rhino," Spidey taunted. "Now that is no way to treat a lady." Rhino, apparently what he was called, turned to face Spidey, and I brought a quick kick to the back of his head, which sent him reeling.

"Nice seeing you again, Spidey," I said, circling Rhino to stand beside him.

"The same," he replied formally. I guess he still hadn't forgotten our little kiss.

"I'll squash you both!" Rhino cried, charging. Spidey flipped back, and I darted aside.

"So how do we stop him?" I asked. He shrugged.

"Don't know. Hitting him doesn't seem to work." Okay then. What could you do to a big, slow lug if you couldn't hit him? The Lizard's mind bubbled up behind my conscience, and I recalled something. Hunters in the wild often used speed to weaken prey, tire it. If it could work on the Rhino…Spidey seemed to have the same idea. He shot a web at Rhino, and pulled him back. I spotted the manhole seconds after he did this, and realized his plan. Leaping away, he darted for the manhole, and threw it off in one flick. I rose up, deciding to make myself scarce so Rhino would follow Spidey. _Let me take him…_I shook my head, forcing the Lizard mind down. Not again. Rhino had followed Spidey down, but I stuck close, on a nearby building, in case the gray giant decided to reemerge. Minutes later, Spiderman stuck his head out.

"Anybody got a crane?" he asked the police, who looked at each other. Well, my work was done.


	20. Chapter 19

**((Here come's a new OC, and a conflicting choice. All shall be revealed. Disclaimer:I do not own Spiderman, the comics, Tv, or movies. However, I do own Maia/Lizzy, and the OC in this chapter, and if you take either, I will get you, my pretties! (evil laughter.)))**

I crawled into my room through the window. It was relatively quiet, so I figured Aunt May or Peter hadn't gotten home yet.

"Hello Maia," I jumped, and whirled around. There was a boy in my room, standing by the dresser. His skin was very, very pale white, and long black hair obscured his eyes. He was wearing a torn black shirt, a leather jacket, and ripped jeans. He fiddled with the holster on his waist, a handgun secured inside it.

"Who are you?" I demanded. "How'd you get in here?" the boy brushed his hair out of his eyes. They glimmered every color, and looked broken, like a shattered CD. Instantly I felt woozy, like I might collapse. He let his hair cover his eyes again, and just shifted on his feet.

"Name's Shatter. And as for how I got in here, same as you. Window,"

"Why are you here?" I asked, still uncomfortable about him being here.

"Because I'm like you," he came closer, and I backed off. "I have powers, Maia, like yours. We can help you. We can-"

"Wait a minute," I interrupted him. "How do you know who I am?" He gave me a soft look.

"Tempera sees a lot, Maia. Just, think about it." Then someone knocked on the door.

"Maia?" Aunt May called in. "Are you alright?" I turned to Shatter, but he was gone.

~.~.~.~.~.

I have to admit, that was interesting. I continued to think about Shatter, and what he meant. Was he right? Were there really other people like me? And what did he mean, think about it? I put it in the back of my mind as I walked to the Silver Spoon the next day. Jessie was sitting in a seat when I first entered, and looked up at me.

"Hey girl!" she called, and I plopped down in front of her.

"What did you want to talk about?" I asked.

"You. You've been so mysterious lately, so distant. What's up?" For one, single moment, I felt tempted to tell her. To spill out everything about the superhero name, powers, everything. But I didn't.

"Oh, nothing. It's just been hard lately."

"Sure. Whatever. Don't tell me. So, who are you taking to the Fall Formal?"

"What?"

"The Formal. It's only a week away, at least. So who are you taking?"

"Uh, nobody," I muttered.

"That is sad, girl. We gotta get you a date." Just then, Gwen Stacey, one of Peter's friends, slid into the seat next to me.

"Have you seen this?" she asked, holding up today's newspaper. There was a photo of me and Spidey fighting the Rhino. Above it was the headline: **SPIDERMAN AND LIZARD GIRL IN CONSPIRACY WITH RHINO! **Ugh. Just like the Bugle to twist a good story.

"Lizard girl?" I asked.

"Many just call her Lizzy. She's the new superhero in town. And of course, the Bugle hates her too." I rolled my eyes in disgust.

"So, what were you two talking about?"

"The Fall Formal. Maia still doesn't have a date," Jessie said.

"Really? I'm thinking of going with Harry, or maybe Pete."

"You should, girl," Jessie nudged Gwen. "I mean, how long are you going to pretend that you don't like him?" Gwen's cheeks went red.

"Shut up. I just don't want to tell him yet. I'm waiting for the right time."

"It's alright," I told her. "Sometimes we all have someone we're afraid to admit our love for." _Like Spiderman? _A voice asked in my head, and I forced it back.

"Oops, I gotta go," Gwen said, looking at her watch. I promised Harry I'd drop by around 3. Well, bye." She got up, walking off.

"So, what's on your mind, girl?" Jessie looked directly in my eyes as she said this, and I felt uncomfortable.

"Well, this is gonna sound crazy, but I think I'm in love with Spiderman." Jessie laughed slightly.

"Really? Well, you can't take him to the Formal. Isn't there anyone else?"

"Well, there's this one guy I met yesterday. He said his name's Shatter, but-"

"Shatter?" Jess asked. "That's an odd name."

"It's probably just a nickname."

"Why don't you ask him?" Jess suggested.

"I don't know. He's a bit too formal."

"Perfect. After all, it is a Fall Formal." I laughed a bit at that.

"We've been here for 30 minutes. Think the waitress will ever come over here?" She shrugged.

"Does it matter? Come on, let's scoot before she looks up from her phone." I laughed at this, and followed her out.


	21. Chapter 20

**((What will Maia choose? Duh duh!))**

It was oddly quiet that night, with me only having to stop 2 burglars from robbing a jewelry store. Now I perched atop a skyscraper, about the 150th floor, maybe, staring out at the city, like I did when I wanted to think.

"Hey," I turned, expecting to see Spiderman. I got a shock though when I saw Shatter sitting there, looking like a shadow.

"How'd you get up here?" I asked. He smiled.

"Trade secret. So, have you thought about our offer?"

"You never gave me an offer," I told him.

"I did indeed, Maia. You can join us, be with people like you, who understand you. We have a scientist working with us. We can find a way to get rid of the Lizard for good. To cure you."

His offer seemed so good, so legitimate. "What's the catch?"

"Hmm? Oh, no catch. Trust me, Maia. I only want to help you." I thought of Peter, Aunt May, Jessie, all my friends and family. Any minute, they could be in danger from the Lizard. Any minute, I could hurt or even kill them, like with John. I took a deep breath.

"I'm in," Shatter smiled even wider.

"Let's go, then." I grabbed his strong, slightly sweaty hand, and we dropped off.

~.~.~.~.~.

Shatter's "trade secret": teleporting. As we fell, even before I could activate my anti-gravity generator, there was flash of light, and we were standing before a building. It was one story, with a low roof and an eerie look. A sign stood near it, some letters faded, but I'm pretty sure it said Walker High. It seemed lonely in the dark night.

"This is where you live?" I asked.

"This is where _we _live," he corrected. "And it's bigger on the inside." Just then, a dark, lithe form dropped before us, hanging back in the shadows.

"You brought her," it said, awed.

"Yes, I did. You can show yourself, Nyte. There's no need to hide from her." The figure hesitated, then stepped forward. It was a boy, at least 16 or maybe 17, I couldn't tell. He had scruffy, brown-red hair, beady green eyes, and sharp fangs. Skin grew out from under his arms, like bat wings.

"This is that Lizzy girl?" Nyte asked. "The one from the news reports?" Shatter nodded.

"Yup. Her," I realized I hadn't had time to take off my costume.

"Tempera's been meaning to meet her," Nyte said thoughtfully. "Come on. I'll show you to her." I suddenly had a really bad feeling as I followed Nyte toward the building. Shatter was right when he said it was bigger on the inside. The halls were long and spacey, with old rusted desks and broken trophy cases shoved against them. Everything had a thick layer of dust on it.

"_Who,_" a voice whispered on the breeze. "_Who is there?_"

"Relax, Spirit," Shatter called. "It's me. I brought her." A small, flame-like blue light flickered before, growing until a girl floated there, silky blonde hair flowing as if in water.

"_Well, you could warn a girl_," she rasped, in a dry, hiss-like voice.

"Is Tempera here?"

"_Does she ever leave? Of course she's here, idiot,_" Spirit retorted sarcastically. "_She's downstairs._"

"Got it. Come on," I followed Nyte and Shatter down a side hallway, Spirit floating behind us. As we passed rooms, I could see kids inside, sleeping on dirty mattresses or on cots or even on the floor. One kid just sat on his cot, and fixed piercing blue eyes on me. I shivered, and kept walking. We passed a room that had sparks coming from it. There was a loud _Boom! _that shook the building, and a tall, lean man emerged, covered in ash. He coughed, dusting himself off. "Hey Doc," Shatter greeted him. The Doctor smiled, rubbing his leaf-green eyes.

"Hey kids. This the new recruit?"

"Yup. Taking her to Tempera." The Doctor seemed to sober up at this.

"Good luck," he told me, before wiping his hands on a towel and going back in. I had a feeling he meant what he said.

**((Who exactly is Tempera? Find out next chapter!))**


	22. Chapter 21

The hallway ended in a set of stairs, which went down at least 3 floors to set of double doors, like at a gym. We passed through those doors into an actual, underground gym. Two kids ran track around a crystal-watered pool, one appearing as a blur. A boy walked a balance beam, walking on his hands. A dolphin swam in the pool; as I watched, it emerged with a splash, transforming into a girl wearing a aqua blue, one-piece swimsuit. She gave me a tacky look, and dried off.

"That's where Tempera is," Shatter pointed to a door on the far wall, leading to the girls' locker room.

"A locker room? You've got to be kidding me," I commented. Shatter suddenly turned serious.

"Tempera rarely kids about anything. Just stay sharp." I followed him over, though I went in alone. The room was the size of a walk-in closet, bleached white, and completely empty, that is, except for the mat on the floor and the girl hovering above it. Her long, frizzy brown hair stood up, like it was permanently full of static electricity. She opened her eyes, and I shivered. Her irises, her pupils, every part of her eyes were glowing iridescent white.

"**Ah, **_Maia _Parker. **We **_have _been **expecting **_you _for **some **_time. _Sit," Despite my concerns on whether she was sane or not, I sat down on the polished floor.

"Um, we?" I asked.

"**Yes, **_we. _Tempera **is **_not _any **mere **_being, _but **a **_fusion _of **three **_different." _She suddenly became brighter, and brighter, until she glowed with radiant energy. I covered my eyes until the light died down. Now there were three sitting before me. One was the girl I'd seen before, her eyes now a baby blue color. On her left sat a man, about mid 30s, with ear-high black hair and stubble on his chin. On her right sat a woman, about the man's age, with long black hair put up in ponytail, and jade eyes. The man snorted.

"**Who does this girl think she is?**" he grumbled.

"_Peace, Agrus. She is a friend,_" the woman assured him.

"**That doesn't mean I have to like it**," Agrus snapped.

"Maia, I would like you to meet Agrus and Silena. They're married. You can call me Teddy. It's my birth name."

"So, three people make up Tempera, not just one."

"_A bright one_," Silena noted. "_She could be useful._"

"**Hmmph.**"

"What is this all, exactly?" I asked. Teddy just smiled, though it seemed a bit forced.

"This is the base of the New Age Administration. We're a group that's working on granting rights for mutants and other super-powered humans. Like you, and like us. We want to help the superhero community live boldly, not in fear."

"So you're a superhero supporting group?" I tried to wrap my head around it.

"_Exactly_," Silena beamed. "_See, Agrus, I told you she was smart._" Agrus scowled.

"So what do you say, Maia? Are you in?" I thought about it.

"Are you sure you could help subdue the Lizard? That no one would get hurt?" Teddy nodded.

"Absolutely,"

"Then I'm in." Teddy smiled even more brightly.

"Excellent. Shatter and Nyte shall show you to your room. You may leave now."

I stood to go. Teddy, Silena, and Agrus began to glow, and when the light died down, they floated as one, eyes closed. I slipped out, Shatter and Nyte gawking at me.

"You're alive," Shatter pointed out as I came closer. Spirit snorted.

"_Never thought I'd see the day when Tempera got soft. They're usually much stricter,_"

"They said you show me to my room," I said. Shatter and Nyte looked at each other.

"You're staying?" Nyte asked the obvious. I nodded.

"Well then, let's find you a room."

**((I own the NAA! Do not steal my idea!))**


	23. Chapter 22

**((Warning:More blood. And a saddish scene.))**

I was chosen to bunk with a shape shifter known as Wilde, and a pyromaniac they called Darkfyre. Wilde looked at me nervously, like she was afraid. Darkfyre looked at me like he wanted to set me on fire. Real great roommates.

"Hey Lizzy," I was awoken the next morning by a whisper in my ear.

"Just go away, Mom," I muttered grouchily, without thinking. The minute I said it, I wanted to take it back.

"Nope," I sat up. Nyte stood there, his fangs sticking out. "Doc wants me to bring you to his lab," Nyte explained. "He wants to test you."

"Kay," I got to my feet, stretching. Darkfyre was watching me, studying me. Wilde was dead asleep, drooling. I followed Nyte out of the room, and down the hall to the Doc's room. He was inside, fiddling with some kind of machine. He flipped a switch on it, and it vanished for a second. Then there was a sizzle, and it reappeared, smoking.

"Hmm," the Doctor frowned. "Need to reconfigure the wiring."

"Doc?" Nyte said.

"Oh, yes, hello Maia!" the Doctor grinned.

"Maia, this is Doctor Compta, but we just call him Doc. Doc, this is Maia Parker."

"Very, very pleased to meet you," he shook my hand. Hard. "Sit down,"

"Uh, where?" the room was piled high with machinery and notebooks clogged with paper.

"Oh. Right," he brushed some papers and junk off of the table, and I sat down.

"How exactly are you going to test me?" I asked.

"Mental stimulation," he pulled a metal helmet off of a nearby shelf. He plopped it on my head, putting a cover down over my eyes and ears. "This'll be interesting," he muttered, flipping a switch. The world seemed to spin, in a flash of white…

~.~.~.~.~.

Car horns blared, and people screamed. I walked the streets of New York, people scattering as I came close. One person, a man, just stood there, staring blankly. With a roar, I launched myself at him, and he screamed as my teeth ripped his neck open. It was so good, so good, his blood cascading down my throat. A web. There came a white, sticky sheet of webbing.

I ripped it apart, growling in frustration at the figure who'd interrupted my meal. He dropped down, red and blue clad, black spider on his chest. Only he wasn't wearing his mask. He was Peter, my cousin, with his short brown hair and hazel eyes. And he was speaking. I could hear him, hear the words, but I didn't understand them. In a fury, I rushed him, yet he dodged me. I couldn't see him anymore, yet I could feel the jabs and kicks. Furious, I lashed out, and smiled as I heard a cry of pain. Peter flew back, now in sight.

I advanced on him, until a cold, metallic force slammed into me from behind. I whirled around, and was faced with Doctor Octavius and his tentacles, a smug look on his face. One of the tentacles shot toward me. I grabbed it in midair, and threw it to the side, knocking Octavius off balance. He looked fearful as I approached, and managed a final scream before my claws ripped him open.

Peter still lay on the ground, unconscious. He was the one I wanted. The Spider. I walked toward him, and grabbed him up. He woke at that time, thrashing. I smiled, a toothy smile. I tore him open with my teeth and claws, ripping him apart into a bloody mess. _NO! _A voice screamed in the back of my head. I laughed.

~.~.~.~.~.

Nyte had never been more scared in his entire life. A few seconds into the test, Maia was screaming, yanking at the helmet. She suddenly fell silent, and let out a low, guttural growl. Then she jumped off the table, snarling, her long claws tearing grooves into the floor and fangs snapping.

"Relax," Doc told him. "She's simply experiencing the stimulation." Though he frowned a little as he said this. Maia stood straight up, hissing almost.

"Oh Spider," she murmured, in a playful, sing-song voice. "Where are you? Come out, come out, wherever you are. I have a present for you…" she turned. "There!" she lunged, ripping apart a cardboard box in matter of seconds. She screamed. "No, no, oh no. What have I done?" she whispered, almost inaudibly. "No!" she howled, dropping to her knees. Doc rushed to her, ripping off the helmet and cradling her, whispering softly. Tears soaked her cheeks, and her breath came out in shudders. "Dad?" she croaked. "Is that you? Don't go, please. I need you."


	24. Chapter 23

**((Once again, there shall be another sucky fight scene. Enjoy.))**

I didn't even remember the helmet being taken off, but when I woke up, I was laying on the table in Doc's room.

"You're awake," he said softly, stroking my hair.

"What was that?" I demanded.

"Mental stimulation. It was you experiencing your worst nightmare," he explained.

"Dead on with that, then," I muttered.

"Who's the Spider?" Nyte asked; he'd been standing there too, though I hadn't noticed him.

"What?"

"When you were under, you called out to the Spider, wanting him to come to you. Then you started crying," My face paled.

"The Spider is Spiderman. I've, well, had a bad run-in with him once."

"Really? How?"

"I don't want to talk about it!" I snapped, cursing myself afterward. "Sorry. It's just…painful,"

"Go back to your room and rest," Doc told me. "You'll need it." I started back to the room, feeling the tears roll down my cheeks.

~.~.~.~.~.

_Today's the night of the Fall Formal_, I thought as I woke up. It had to have been at least a couple weeks since I'd joined this place. Was anyone missing me? Were they looking for me? Was Jessie, Peter, and Aunt May okay? For one split second, I wondered if I should return to New York. But I pushed it down. I was needed here. Doc was figuring out a way to subdue the Lizard, but had promised no more mental stimulations.

I got up, ignoring Darkfyre's looks. He could be a bit of a jerk. It was a quick trip to the gym.

"Hey Lizard-breath," Shadowhawk called. He was about my age, ear-high black hair, violet eyes. "Wanna spar?" he cracked his knuckles. He was dressed in his usual costume; a black, skin-tight Spandex suit with a purple hawk symbol on the front. He wore a mask that resembled a hawk's wings.

"Sure, Birdbrain," I taunted. "Just let me change." I'd gotten more training advice from the others, so I'd learned to fight better. I still wore my suit, mask, and anti-gravity generator, but I no longer had to dye my hair. Everyone knew who I was here. I faced Shadowhawk, who a determined look on his face. He started, bringing a fist toward my face. My sense buzzing, I twisted away, grabbing his wrist. He hadn't seen it coming, and wasn't prepared for me twisting it sharply. He cried out, and I pushed him back, smirking. My smug expression quickly faded when his fist connected with my neck. I growled, choking slightly. But before I could retaliate, he grabbed my arm, pulled it behind my back, and knocked me down.

"Too slow," he teased. _Now _I was mad. I jumped up, and scored a slash across his chest with my claws. "Hey! This is an expensive costume!" he cried. I knocked his feet from out under him.

"Nighty night," the foot connected with his face, and he dropped. "And the winner is me!" I cheered, mock bowing. "Thank you. Thank you very much." The tingling in my head suddenly blared, and I dropped into a crouch, avoiding a roundhouse kick. I side swept, knocking him to the ground again.

"Let's take this to the air," he said. Blood poured from the wound on his chest and from his nose a little. He snapped his wings open, and jumped up, rising to the ceiling. The reason he has hawk in his name is because of the wings. I flipped the switch on my belt, and shot up after him. I narrowly dodged several punches and kicks, and retaliated with a punch to the stomach. Bad thing is he had to remember to keep his wings moving, where as I always stayed suspended. Bad thing about my method of flight is that my generator could short out at any time. Of course, I'd worked out most of the bugs, but…Shadowhawk came rushing forward, and gave a karate chop to my side.

I brought a foot toward his head, but he ducked, grabbed my foot, and threw me. I managed to stop before crashing into the wall, but I was still dizzy. He flew toward me, ready to continue our little fight. I dropped down, flew up behind him, and scored another slash, this time along his back.

"Endgame," I told him. I grabbed him this time, spun him around a bit, lassoed him up with a spare wire, and flew us back down. I untied him when we reached the ground.

"Nice moves there, Lizard-breath," he commented, panting.

"You too, Birdbrain," I replied, smacking him on the shoulder. He winced, and stumbled off to treat his cuts.

"Nice moves," Shatter congratulated me. "Only don't get too cocky. In real life, the villians won't always hold back." I held back a smart remark. He was right. As usual.


	25. Chapter 24

**((Here is another crappy action scene! Again! Enjoy!))**

I woke up days later with an empty feeling in my chest. I'd dreamt of my mom, her soft voice lulling me to sleep. It still hurt. And Octavius would pay. Training today involved testing my speed with a super fast kid known only as Blurr. As expected, he kicked my tail (literally) in the race. Doc patched up a skinned knee I'd gotten, and took some blood with a syringe.

"What's that for?" I asked.

"Nothing much," he replied. "Just running some more tests."

"Maia!" Nyte ran in, looking a bit upset. "Have you seen the news?"

"What news?" I asked. Nyte flipped on a small television set on one of Doc's shelves, and turned it to a local news report. I didn't hear the lady's voice, or anything at all. All I saw was the man in the trench coat, 4 metal tentacles lashing. _Octavius_, the name burned into my mind.

"Shatter!" I ran out, speeding down the hall. I already had my costume on, and as I ran, I dyed my hair back, and threw on my mask. I burst into the gym, the others giving me some odd looks. Shatter walked up, almost strolling casually

. "Yes?" He asked. I grabbed him up by his shirt collar, and held him up high.

"Take me to New York," I demanded

. "What?" he sounded bewildered.

"Take me to New York! Now!"

"Why?" he now sounded suspicious.

"Just do it!" I nearly screamed. He flinched, and seconds later, we were on Coney Island. He had landed. Octavius was among the people, tentacles thrashing wildly. "OCTAVIUS!" I roared, launching toward him. I felt the tears fall, and a red haze drop over my eyes. Octavius hadn't seen me coming, and I took advantage of it. I grabbed one tentacle, and tore it off. Just like that.

"Why you-" If he recognized me, he didn't show it behind those shades. His other arms came for me. I grabbed another, slashing at one with my claws. I spun Octavius around by the tentacle, and flung him. He flew a good ways before crashing against a hot dog stand. I was there in an instant. In a rage, I smashed his head against the dock hard, continuously, until he started to bleed. Just then, a hand latched onto mine, pulling me away. I was staring into the white, pseudo eyes of Spiderman.

"Lizzy?" he asked, confused. Octavius moaned.

"Bug off, webhead," I muttered. "I'm ending this."

"Ock's had enough, Lizzy. It's over." I laughed.

"Ock? That's what he's calling himself? Ha! It'll never be over, webhead," I looked back at Ock, collapsed in a heap. "He needs to suffer." Spiderman slipped between me and Ock.

"I'm sorry, but that can't happen."

"Do you have any idea what he's done to me?" my voice cracked. "He killed my mother. In cold blood. He needs to pay!"

"And he will," Spiderman assured me. "He'll be taken to jail."

"It's not good enough!" I threw myself past the webhead, intending on launching Ock into oblivion, when Spiderman grabbed me from behind and wrestled me down. "Stop!" he cried as I struggled, webbing me up. I cried and screamed at the same time. And then it happened. The fire/ice feeling flared up in me. _No. Not again. Not again_. I tore out of the webbing, in a panic. _All these people_…Spiderman came closer. "Go away!" I yelled at him, then screamed in agony. My skin grew into scales, becoming light green. My tail snapped out, growing thicker. My claws sharpened, and teeth grew out. _Please, no_… I licked my lips. This time would be different.

~.~.~.~.~.

Eddie Brock had been among the crowd when he'd heard the scream. Naturally, he rushed to the front of the crowd, where people were scattering. A familiar red and blue figure was facing a large green lizard. Dr. Conners? _No_, he told himself. _Conners took the gene cleanser. There's no way he could_…The final piece snapped into place._ Maia!_

~.~.~.~.~.

Peter stood there, staring in horror at the monster lizard he was now facing. This wasn't Doctor Conners. It was his cousin, Maia._ Maia was Lizzy? I kissed my own cousin? But how?_

"Spider," the Lizard hissed, and before Spiderman could react, she grabbed him up, baring her teeth and hissing. A crowd watched, though most had fled. Ock was unconscious; the only real threat here was the monster lizard. "I've been waiting for this, Spider," Lizard hissed. "She held me back well, but even she grew weary. You're mine now." _Got to somehow get through to her._

"Lizzy's fighting you, isn't she?" Spiderman taunted. "She'd never let you kill me, or anyone else. And you can't stand not being in full control, do you?"

"Shut up," Lizard snarled through gritted teeth.

"I figured as much. Little control freak Lizard, all upset over being undermined." Spiderman was pulled forward, until he was nose to nose with Lizard.

"The prey needs to know when to keep its mouth shut," she muttered, deadly anger in those words.

"Nah, I don't think so," Spiderman brought a swift uppercut to Lizard's jaw, making her falter. He leaped out of her grip, summoning up cold determination. _This is not your cousin. It's just another villain. Either you take them down, or others get hurt_. Lizard rubbed her jaw.

"Sneaky trick, Spider. Too bad it was your last,"

~.~.~.~.~.

I lunged at the Spider, who dodged back. His webbing latched onto my skin, torn off quickly by my claws. Spider came closer, intending to strike me, but I snapped my jaws onto his arm. Blood splattered against my tongue, so warm. The Spider sprayed sticky webbing onto my face, and I let go, tugging it off. He leaped into the air, though I caught him, and dragged him down.

"Endgame, Spider," I growled, holding him tightly, pinning him. "And you lose."

"Don't count on it, Lizard-breath," came an unfamiliar voice, and a foot snapped forward. Pain and dizziness shocked me as I reeled, dropping Spiderman. A boy in a black suit floated there, stormy gray wings pumping. "Now, now, Lizard-breath," he tsked. "Remember what 'ol Shatter told ya?" I hissed at him. "Guess not. Blurr, Darkfyre, come on," One ran in at a speed impossible for normal humans. The other came in slower, his palms smoking. "Good thing Tempera sees all and knows all, Scaleface," the boy smirked. They would pay for interrupting my meal. I grabbed the flying one out of midair, raking my claws across him. He kicked out at me, and, managing to free himself, flew up. One boy shot a fireball at me. It didn't do much against my hardened skin, but still hurt. I tackled him to the ground, and ripped a claw across his arm. The speedster rushed around me, but was knocked down with a quick flick of my tail. There came a _click!_ from behind.

"Freeze, dirt bag," there stood a boy, long black hair in his eyes, holding a handgun pointed at me. I laughed croakily.

"What, you think you can stop me?" I demanded. He smiled.

"Uh, yeah." He pushed the hair out of his eyes, and I started to feel faint. Then, I collapsed, as everything went black.

~.~.~.~.~.

Shatter let his hair fall back in his eyes, and put his pistol back in the holster.

"We're good, guys," he told them.

"Bout time you got here, Shatter," Shadowhawk said, rubbing his chest.

"She bout killed us all."

"Let's get her back to Doc, find out what happened," Just at that point, a white substance suddenly stuck to Shadowhawk, and pulled him back.

"I don't believe we've met," Spiderman quipped. "Is this the clean-up committee? Cause if it is, you've got one heck of a mess to get up." Shadowhawk growled, trying to pull webbing off his wing.

"Relax, Spiderman," Shatter said. "We just want to get our friend to a doctor."

"I agree," Spidey said. "And I know just the Doctor to get her to." Before the others could stop him, Spiderman webbed her up, and started off. "If you don't mind, handle Ock!" he called back as he webbed away. Shatter sighed.

"Superheroes,"


	26. Chapter 25

**((This fic is loosely based off of the actual Spiderman series, so if things seem different, it's probably because I didn't want to bother to look up and watch the episode.))**

Dr. Conners hadn't been expecting company that day. With his wife and kid at home, he'd decided to check inventory, make sure everything was in order. Of course, that idea was blown as soon as Spiderman dropped in, carrying a webbed up package. He tore the webbing off to reveal the giant lizard inside.

"You found her?" Conners asked.

"Actually, she found me," Spiderman rubbed his shoulder. "It wasn't exactly easy beating her."

"I've had an idea," Conners started. "The gene cleanser could work for her, as it did for me. I'm going to try."

"And if it doesn't?" Spiderman asked.

"Then it's not going to be pleasant." Conners prepped the syringe, loaded with the gene cleanser. Just as he was about to inject the needle, Lizard's eyes suddenly snapped open. She leaped up, knocking Conners away and hissing.

"Okay then," Spiderman said. "We'll play it your way."

~.~.~.~.~.

They were clever, thinking they could defeat me like that. They were wrong. I now faced the Spider, with no one to save him. Then, there was a tingling in my head. _No! I shall not be driven back. I shall not-_ I shook my head.

What was going on? Where was I? Where was Ock? I felt the fist connect with my jaw before I could react, and the webbing that encased me.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" I tried to protest, but Spidey was in full attack mode. I put up my arms to block his punches. "Whoa, hey, stop!" this time, he seemed to hear me, and stopped inches from hitting me. "That's better,"

"Maia?" Conners asked, getting up.

"Yeah, why?" Then it hit me. "Oh no. Not again. Just like that stimulation. Oh, no, no, no." Before any one could ask, I shot out of the lab, and ran.


	27. Chapter 26

**((Here comes a mysterious man to our young hero. And a talk.))**

Okay, so maybe that wasn't my best idea since I was a 7 ft tall, clawed lizard with bullet proof scales who'd practically killed Spiderman and destroyed Coney Island. But I'd panicked. I didn't want it to happen, like it had in my nightmare. It couldn't. So now I sat in an abandoned warehouse, watching rats scuttle across the floor and trying to ignore the moldy smell, magnified by my senses.

"This is just great," I grumped. "Now I'm stuck here, like this."

"Not quite, my dear," came a voice from the shadows. I got to my feet, hissing and trying to act brave.

But what came out was…unexpected. He had green skin, with a mischievous, devilish looking smile, wearing a purple hood. He looked like one of those goblins I'd seen in a Halloween store one year. "Isn't it a little early for Halloween?" I asked, knowing that Halloween wasn't that far away.

"Not at all, my dear. I hear you're in a bit of a predicament. What say I lend a hand?" This guy looked tricky, one of the ones you'd have to watch.

"Who are you?" I asked. "What do you want, and what's in it for me?"

"Name's Green Goblin. And I just want you to do a little favor for me," he paused. "Kill Spiderman. Eliminate the web-head, and I guarantee you'll be fully human next day."

"Forget it," I said almost immediately. "I'm not stooping that low."

The Goblin frowned a bit, giving me a dangerous, almost threatening. "Your choice, dear." He turned to leave. "Oh, and you must know there will be a prison break soon. I hope you'll decide by then." He was gone, vanished in the shadows.

~.~.~.~.~.

I laid low, trying not to be found, though I did stop a thug from mobbing a lady in an alley. Needless to say, he peed his pants. Though, as the days passed, I thought more about Spiderman. I loved him without even knowing who he was. In my dreams, he was Peter, but that was impossible. It was just coincidence. Halloween passed quickly.

I heard explosions from the warehouse I was sheltered in, and for one, single moment, felt like checking it out. But I pushed back the thought. Weeks later, I ventured from the abandoned building, shivering. I hated this. I'd been forced to live off junk I dug out of Dumpsters at night. But fear was the main priority, the fear of anyone getting too close. _Like with John_, I thought guiltily.

"Now now," a voice tsked behind me. "You father and I didn't raise you to be a quitter." I turned. My mom was standing there. My dead mom, long auburn hair blowing in the wind.

"Mom? Mom!" I almost ran to hug her, but I held back. She flashed me a sad look, those bright blue eyes dark.

"You can't give up, my dear," she said. "You can't just rot in a hole for the rest of your life. You were meant to be a hero, to save those unable to save themselves."

"But the Lizard," I argued. "I can't control it. What if…I don't want anyone else to end up like John."

"Sweetheart," my mother's tone softened. "You've always been a fighter. You're stronger than the Lizard. Fight it. And remember, I'm always with you." She turned, and vanished with the wind.

~.~.~.~.~.

The man fumbled with the lock, and cursed.

"Hurry up, Meathead!" he snapped back at the hulking man behind him.

"Uh, how are we gonna get in, boss?" the first guy face palmed.

"Hand me the bolt cutters, will ya?" But before Meathead could reach, a thin silver wire wrapped around his arm, pulling him back. A green clad figure leaped down, humor in her yellow-green slit eyes.

"Oh, not you two again!" Lizzy complained, dodging the skinny guy's punch with surprising speed. "Can't you two do anything right?" A swift uppercut knocked Skinny Guy back. Then, she grabbed them both up by their shirts. They protested, but she cracked their heads against each other, and they both fell to the ground, out cold.

"Hello, New York!" she crowed. "Lizzy is back in business!"

~.~.~.~.~.

Ock had been waiting for this for a long time. Everyday he'd been in that prison, he'd grown to loathe Spiderman. And now, now the arachnid would get what was coming to him.

**((Next Chapter: Sinister Six!))**


	28. Chapter 27

**((Another crappy action scene! And two secrets are revealed! Disclaimer!))**

I leaped from building to building, using my generator to shoot across the gaps, the wind tossing my hair around. Now this I'd missed. It was very, very cool. I drew closer to Time Square, just on a run, looking for evildoers, when my Sense blared up like crazy. A black blur flew past me, slamming into where I had been moments ago. It groaned. _Spiderman?_

I flew up, grabbing him by his waist and lowering us to the ground. My Sense started up, and I pulled back in time to avoid getting smushed to pieces by a large gray giant. I recognized this giant. Leaping onto his back, I grabbed the big horn, and pulled back.

"Hey there, Rhino!" I said loudly in his ear. "Miss me?"

"You again!"

"Yup, me," I avoided his swatting hands, and swiped my claws across his cheek. Before he could attack me, I rose up, spiraling into the air. "Can't catch what you can't reach," I taunted. I ducked as the Sense popped up, avoiding a senior citizen in black and red clothing. "Whoa, buddy. Shouldn't you be in the nursing home?" I shot forward, latching myself onto the back of his suit.

"Get off, you infernal little brat!" he snapped, wobbling mid-flight.

"Hmm. I wonder what this does," Breathing deeply, like I'd practiced, I summoned the Lizard's strength, and smashed my fist through the back of his suit. I pulled a couple wires, which sparked and fizzed, and we began to drop like stones. I held the bird guy by his suit, activated the generator, and shot upward, dropping him on a nearby rooftop.

"You?" A lightning bolt zapped past me. There stood the lightning headed man, looking dumbfounded.

"Hey, lightning butt. Never thought I'd see you again. Well, there's a first time for everything." I dropped down to land in front of him. He fired another bolt, which I dodged. My claws raked a hole in his suit, and he flinched in pain. Using the moves Shadowhawk taught me, I brought my knee up to his face, and jabbed him in the stomach. He dropped. "Two down," I muttered to myself. Rhino charged me again, though I dodged, and he plowed into the side of a building, and didn't move.

I figured he was stuck; he couldn't be beat that easily. A black figure moved out of the corner of my eye, and I realized it was Spiderman, leaping at some guy who looked like he was made of sand. _He must be Sandman. _Spiderman webbed him up, punching him hard and getting punched and sanded himself. I figured he could take him easy, and flew up. Spiderman was thrown from where he was by a metal tentacle. I recognized that tentacle. It was the same one that tried to kidnap me, that killed my mother.

"Ock," I growled under my breath. I could feel the Lizard's conscious, bubbling up against mine. _Listen_, I began in my head. _I hate Ock cause he killed my mother. And he wants to kill Spiderman. The death of Spiderman should be reserved for the Lizard, his hunter, right? _There was no reply. I thought I was going crazy, till another voice hissed, _Yes… Then we have to work together, to stop Ock. Spiderman is reserved for another day. Please just help me here. _The Lizard didn't answer, but something happened.

It was as if something had been in my head all along, separate from my own mind, like two ingredients of a meal. And now they were being blended together, so that instead of two, clashing forces, there was a single unity, much like Tempera. I sensed the Lizard's displeasure at this, and how much it wanted Spiderman. I launched myself forward, toward Ock, toward our prey.

"Ock!" I screamed in a voice that was partially my own, partially the Lizard's. Ock turned, looking surprised, then almost fearful. I landed near him, hissing. "This time, there's no escape, Ock. You're going to jail, easy way or hard way. And we'd prefer you say hard way." Ock raised an eyebrow.

"You think you can defeat me, child? I severely doubt it," he said, though his voice wavered. _Lizard, get him. And don't kill him_. There was a grumbly protest. _Spiderman_, I reminded him, and he fell quiet. I launched myself at Ock. He threw up his tentacles to protect himself. Big mistake. My claws ripped through all 4 of the tentacles, tearing them apart. I grabbed him up, holding him close to my face.

"Next time," I hissed. "Don't pick on someone you can't beat." I let him drop, and pulled out a phone, dialing 911.

"Hello? Yes, we'll need police out here…Times Square. Have you not seen the news?"

~.~.~.~.~.

I flew myself and Spiderman back to Aunt May's. It was weird how quiet he was. Almost like he was in a trance. And the black suit was new, I bet. The window on the room that had been mine was unlocked, thankfully, and I flew us in. Setting Spiderman on the bed, I dug through the closet, looking for a clean shirt. My costume was torn and smelled like I'd just washed it in a sewer.

"Wha-What happened?" Spiderman groaned, and sat up, holding his head. As I watched, the black suit slid off him like it was liquid. And sitting there was my cousin, Peter. My jaw probably dropped to the floor about that point. My cousin. I had fallen in love with and kissed my **cousin**? "Where am I?" Peter rubbed his head.

"Uh…uh…" _Stupid! _I scolded myself. _You're telling me_, the Lizard decided to add. _Aw shut up. _"You're Spiderman? Peter Parker is Spiderman?" I demanded. Peter seemed to realize that he didn't have his costume on.

"Yeah," he admitted. "No fooling you, I guess. You can't tell anyone though. It would ruin my good reputation." I could tell he was joking, and rolled my eyes.

"Hey, if I told somebody, it would blow my cover too. I think I'll stick with keeping the secret."

"Good, then," Peter stood, rubbing his neck. "What happened?" I frowned.

"You really don't remember fighting the Sinister Six?" he shook his head.

"I must've blacked out or something," _Weird_. _Not weird_, the Lizard argued. _The suit. The evil. What evil suit? _I asked, but the Lizard didn't answer. "Why did you come back here anyway?" Peter asked. "How did you know that this is where I lived?" Now came the hard part.

"I-I didn't. This is where I lived after my mother died."

"I figured as much," Peter said before I could continue. "Hey Maia,"

"But you, and-how?" He smiled.

"I was there when you were a giant lizard, and Conners called you Maia, remember? It all snapped into place when you turned into a lizard at Coney Island." I felt like slapping myself for my stupidity.

"Guess I'm not very good with the whole 'secret identity' thing, huh?" I chipped in. Peter didn't reply, and it was deathly quiet. "This never happened," I offered. Peter nodded. _Well, this was fun_, the Lizard broke in. _Can I eat him now?_

**((This story probably sucks, doesn't it? *sigh* Well, I'm nearly done with it, so I'm not gonna quit now.))**


	29. Chapter 28

**((Thanks for the review, spiderwriters. And here is the next, action-packed chapter!))**

I showed up on the doorstep the next morning, covered in bruises and bumps. My alter ego had made herself known by stopping one mugging, 2 purse snatchers, and a bank robbery. The police came out to the house, and I gave them a very convincing lie that I'd been kidnapped, though I couldn't remember the assailant's name or what he looked like.

They left after that, saying they'd do everything to find who kidnapped me. I knew they wouldn't.

"So, mid-afternoon on a Saturday," I mused. "What to do, what to do." I walked across the hall to Peter's room, and peered in. He wasn't there, probably on patrol. "I need a coffee," I decided, snatching up the phone. I dialed in a familiar number, and let it ring.

"_Hello?_"

"Hey Jess," I said. "Meet me at the Spoon. 'Kay?"

"_Okay, but-Maia? How did you-_" Before she could finish, I hung up.

~.~.~.~.~.

I was at the Silver Spoon in 10 minutes, having actually walked there. Jess lived closer, so she was there before me, sitting in a booth looking surprised. I sat in front of her, smiling cheerily.

"Hey girl," I said.

"Maia? How'd you get back?" she asked.

"What can I get you girls?" a waitress had come over, holding a notepad.

"I'll have a double cheeseburger, and an espresso. Make that a double too." She jotted this down, and Jess's order, before walking off.

"You didn't hear, I guess?" I asked. She shook her head.

"About what?" I was fixing to say about me getting kidnapped, but I held back.

"I'll tell you later," She raised an eyebrow questioningly, but the waitress came back with our order unusually fast, preventing her from asking any more questions. I ate the hamburger and drank the coffee with relish, happy that I could actually eat real food for once.

Mid-hamburger, I heard someone call outside, "Look! It's Spiderman!"

"Why?" I exclaimed, some other people in the restraunt looking at me funny. "I gotta go," I told Jess. "Sorry." She gave me a look, like she couldn't believe it. I scarfed down the last of my burger before darting out of the building, and ducking into an alley.

~.~.~.~.~.

Minutes later, I was shooting after Peter, who was following a stolen car.

"Busy much?" I asked him, and he nearly missed his next swing.

"Do you take pleasure in scaring me to death?" he snapped, sounding upset.

"Whoa, what got under your skin? I'm on your side," I said. He sighed, flipping in mid-air, and sticking to a building, running after the crooks.

"It's nothing. I've just got a bad feeling in my stomach."

"I hear ya," Come to think of it, I'd had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach, since yesterday, but I just figured it was hunger. "Let's just end this," I groaned, shooting forward. I latched onto the roof of the car, and sliced a hole in the roof.

"Hey, what the-" the driver shut up quick when I pulled him out of the car.

"Now would be a good time for some help!" I called. Peter fired a web to the back end of the car, and fired another at a nearby building. I reached in, and cut the gas, and he webbed it up more, so it finally managed to stop. I let the crook stay on the roof, saluted Peter, and flew off, leaving Peter to handle the crook. Just as I was flying back toward the Spoon, my phone rang. "Hello?"

"_Maia,_" Jess said on the other end. "_You didn't hear, did you? I'd be surprised if Peter did, it was so sudden._"

"What are you talking about?" I demanded, a cold chill running down my spine.

"_Aunt May's in the hospital. She had a heart attack last night._" I froze, though luckily, I was still floating. Unluckily, I dropped the phone, and it spiraled down. Aunt May was in the hospital? But-how? _She had a heart attack last night_, Jessie's words rang in my head. I slammed the generator on overdrive, and probably hit supersonic, flying to the hospital.

**((Yes, it somewhat follows TSSM storyline. Somewhat.))**


	30. Chapter 29

**((Here is the Symbiote chapter! Yes!))**

Peter had gotten there before me, because he looked ticked.

"Whoa Spidey," I whispered. "Calm down."

"Calm?" he demanded. "Aunt May's in the hospital. She's hurting, and even worse, there are bills. Why should I calm down?" _Man, for a little guy, he's sure got a lot of anger issues_, I thought. Peter looked really, really upset.

"Good then. I'm going to go see her," I walked past Peter, who still looked ticked, and into Aunt May's room.

"Maia," Aunt May breathed. She was lying propped up on the bed, attached to heart monitors and other junk. "The police told me, but I just couldn't believe it. You're back." She looked close to tears.

"Yeah, I am. You okay?" It was stupid to ask, after having a heart attack, but I had nothing else. She nodded.

"I'm more worried about Peter. He's seemed so aggressive for a while. I'm worried that he's upset about something."

"I'll check up on him," I left her there, closing the door.

"Hey, Parker! Lighten up!" Peter was pinning Flash Thompson against the wall, looking ready to kill.

"Easy there," I put my hand on his shoulder.

"Stay out of this!" he snapped. "Flash has been needing this for a while."

"Peter Parker," I growled, my voice blending with the Lizard's. "Drop him this instant." Peter reluctantly set him down, and stormed off.

"I was just coming by to visit," Flash explained. "And then Puny Parker jumps me." Flash brushed himself off, looking jumpy.

"Relax," I told him. "Mr. Parker is about to be straightened out."

~.~.~.~.~.

I followed Peter through New York, which was a bit harder than I thought. The sky started to cloud up, threatening to rain. Peter's trail ended at an old, Gothic looking church. I entered through the front door, and heard screams from the roof.

I rushed up the stairs, 2 at a time, to find someone tied up below the bell. It was Eddie, and he thrashed when he saw me. I cut him loose, freeing him from the webbing that encased him.

"Spiderman!" he cried when his mouth was free. "He's gone crazy."

"Get out of here," I told Eddie. "I'll handle this." Eddie couldn't have darted out of there any faster if he'd been on fire. "Peter?" I called up, starting up the stairs more slowly. "You up there?"

Before I could finish going up, some kind of black goop oozed from above, freezing before me. It looked a lot like his black suit. The Lizard's warning rang in my head. Peter's suit was alive. The suit, the goop, whatever it was, lunged at me, faster than I could react.

I could only stare in horror as it scaled up my body, though I clawed at it. My mind suddenly felt fuzzy, and I felt disoriented. _What-What's happening? _I managed to scream before I was sucked into the abyss.

**((I'm not sure whether Spiderman left Eddie dangling in the show or not. DUH DUH DUH Plot twist!))**


	31. Chapter 30

**((Here we go! Awesome action chapter!))**

_Well, I'm glad that's over with_, Peter thought as he web swung across the city, back to the hospital. He'd never felt so vulnerable before, especially after what the symbiote had shown him, forced him to remember. _I'll have to go back later, get rid of the symbiote for good. But I still need to check on Aunt May. I have a feeling she'll need me._

~.~.~.~.~.

Jessie sat on the couch at her house, flipping through channels. Surely Maia couldn't have her head that high in the clouds, not to know about her Aunt. She just hoped that May was alright. There was a knocking on the door, though more like a pounding. Jessie jumped up, and went over, opening the door. Peter stood out there, looking a bit concerned.

"Is Maia here?" his question caught Jessie off-guard.

"No. Why? Is she missing?"

"She's not at the house or the hospital. I thought she might be here."

"I haven't seen her," Jessie said. Peter came in, despite her protesting.

"Are you sure?"

"I told you, I haven't seen her. Now will you leave?"

"Leave? I just got here," A scaly voice hissed from above. They barely had time to look up when a large, black figure dropped from the ceiling between them and the door. "Didn't think it would be so hard to find you, Spider. Your scent is one I know well. But it appears you have a friend." The large, black-skinned lizard licked its lips hungrily. "Suppose we could do with two meals. More meat." Jessie felt like screaming, but couldn't find her voice. Peter stood there solemnly, noticing something different about his cousin. There was a small, white spider symbol on her chest, like the one on his costume.

"The symbiote," he breathed.

"Yes, Spider. This wonderful creature has agreed to help me kill you. And your friend as a bonus."

"What-What is it?" Jessie finally choked out.

"The girl is not aware, is she, Spider?" the Lizard laughed. "Fine. I shall show her." The Lizard collapsed, and the symbiote retracted, until his cousin was lying there, still in her Lizzy costume. Then the black returned, and the Lizard rose up. "Not all is as it seems, girlie. Spider has done a perfect job of hiding the truth, as has the girl. But even the best kept secrets must come to light eventually." Jessie stared, shell-shocked, at Peter.

"You're-You're-"

"Spiderman," the Lizard finished. "As the girl is Lizzy. Of course, it won't matter anymore." The Lizard leaped at Peter, snarling. Peter knocked Jessie to the side, and rolled forward, away from the Lizard. Still, her tail slammed into his back, and sent him reeling. "Time, Spider," she growled. "For the end."

"I don't think so." Peter jumped to his feet. Luckily, he had remembered to bring his web shooters. He slipped them over his wrists, and covered the Lizard with webs. While the Lizard was distracted, he pulled Jessie over to him with a web. "Go get help," he told her. "Now." She seemed to snap out of being freaked out, and ran out the door. The Lizard raked a claw at Peter, who narrowly dodged, thanks to his spider sense. He leaped over the Lizard, giving a kick to the back of her head. She whirled to face him, claws ready. Peter shot a web at her, and she ripped it apart.

"A predicament you're in, Spider," the Lizard almost purred. "You can't fight us up close, can you? And your long range attacks are meaningless. It's nearly over, Spider. Endgame." The Lizard fired a black web from her wrist, tying up Peter. She grabbed him in her claws. "Shall we take a ride?" Peter couldn't move. He was frozen, as the Lizard darted out the open door. Police cars surrounded the building. How'd they gotten there so fast was unknown, but at least half of the NYPD squad was there, guns ready. "Sorry to disappoint you," the Lizard hissed. "But he's mine." She plowed past the cars, and farther into New York.

**((Ooh! Cliffhanger!))**


	32. Chapter 31

**((Here it is, folks. The final confrontation. The final battle between Peter/Spiderman and Maia/Symbiote-enhanced Lizard. Will she kill her cousin? Or will he live?))**

I was drowning. The sticky, black water rose up, pulling me down, flowing into my mouth and nose, preventing me from taking a breath.

I thrashed, trying to reach the surface, but it was so far away, just a pinprick of light in the distance. _Sleep_, the soft black water cooed. _Just rest for a bit, and sleep…_

~.~.~.~.~.

Peter struggled against the webs that bound him, though they were even stronger than his own. The Lizard was bounding up a skyscraper, carrying him like it was nothing. _Better do something_, he thought. _Or I'm gonna end up as Lizard chow. _The Lizard jumped onto the roof, throwing him down hard.

"Finally," she crowed, licking her lips. "You shall be ours." Before Peter could react, even make an attempt to tear the webbing, the Lizard had her claws at his throat. "Goodbye, Spider," she purred in a silky tone.

"You shall not be missed."

~.~.~.~.~.

My eyes started to close. Maybe just a little nap wouldn't hurt…_No! _a voice screamed loudly.

I forced my eyes open. Jessie, of all people, was floating before her, hands on her hips. _That Lizard is about to kill your cousin, and you feel the need to take a nap_, she rolled her eyes. _Are you really going to let him die? Get up and do something, lazy bones. _

She was right. I snapped awake, and forced against the water, pushing my way to the surface. It seemed to be so far away. _Come on! _I mentally screamed. I would not let Peter die. My mother was right. I was not a monster. I shot to the surface, and suddenly was in another place.

I was atop a skyscraper in the city, towering over Peter, my claws at his throat. I pulled my hand back as though it were on fire. _Sleep, girl_, the symbiote and the Lizard pressed against my head full force. I screamed and doubled over, clutching my head. My skull was splitting in two, fire in my head.

Peter tore the webbing off, and stood. "I give," he said in a loud voice. "You win." I was going to protest, but the suit oozed off of me, and surrounded Peter. I shrank, and the feeling in my head faded. Peter stood for what seemed like hours before the suit slipped off of him.

He webbed it into a bundle, and crouched beside me. "I'm ok-" I started to say, before I collapsed.

**((Next chapter is the epilogue, for those of you watching at home.))**


	33. Epilogue

**((Here we go...))**

Peter swung the symbiote to a nearby construction site, fully clad in red and blue. He lowered the suit into a vat of drying concrete. _Never again_, he thought, before swinging off.

~.~.~.~.~.

It took a lot of explaining, but Jessie finally accepted that me and Peter were superheroes. I was a bit weak from the whole experience, but still good to patrol.

I ended up more famous than I ever had been in a few days, stopping several crimes with my partner, Spidey. I realized now that I had hardly done anything before for this city.

But now, I felt like a real superhero. _It can't get any better than this_, I thought, crouching atop a gargoyle, watching the sun set over the city. _I hope I didn't just jinx myself. Oh, who cares?_

If anyone had been looking up at that moment, they would've seen a green figure leap off the building, before shooting away.

~.~.~.~.~.

"Is it done?" In an abandoned building far, far away from our young hero, a man sat in a shadowed room, talking with another figure, clad in red and black.

"What do you think, old chum?" the red and black man asked. "She's in position, just as you wanted her to be. Of course, it took a lot of work." The man's tone of voice changed to a despairing tone. "Heartache. Anguish. Loss. How will ThreeInOne build up suspense for the sequel?" he looked around. "Oh. I guess that's what this scene is for."

"Stop joking around, Wilson," the man in the chair snapped. "So the hero is in place. Perfect. Soon, it will be time."

"Who is this shadowed man?" Deadpool asked in a suspenseful tone. "What does he plan for our young hero? How else will she prove herself? Stay tuned to find out in the sequel?"

"Wilson?" the shadowed man said.

"Yeah?"

"Shut up."

**((Thought I'd end it on a comical note.))**


End file.
